Outlast 2 Novelization
by FoilyPaper
Summary: Blake Langermann and his wife Lynn set out towards Arizona to find out more about the murdering of Jane Doe aboard a private helicopter. After a sudden crash, Blake struggles to stay alive as he searches desperately for his wife, while also being haunted by his unexpected past catching up to him. Can he survive the hell that only broken men have forged into existence?
1. The Crash

I'm thinking of prayers when some semblance of consciousness drags back into my mind. I'm hearing voices, someone crying for help. Thousands of them, all condensed into one. It seemed familiar, a bad memory amidst an endless ocean of blackness. It's calling for me, and I hear the soft pat of leather shoes tapping against tiled cement. The footfalls are steady in their movement, and calm. My hand twitches against something soft, almost like a cushion. The voice, female, sounds like she's in distress. The footsteps aren't hers, it's someone else's. It must be him. Can't be anyone else. I blink and I see her, the person I promised I'd protect all the way to my grave. Her blue eyes are so innocent, I wonder who'd want to make her sad. She backs away from something out of my vision, I collect what strength I have left and turn my head towards the direction of the soft taps. It's a person, middle aged, partially bald. I'm not fazed by him in the slightest, but she is absolutely devastated. She breaks free of my grip and scrambles backward, I try to catch up to her but the man looming forth is too near. He snares me by the throat and heaves me up to his eye level. I feel the life inside of me diminish as he jams his stiff fingers into my neck, I try to grasp at his face, but the pain is too much. My legs try to thrash towards safety, almost like a cancer patient who thinks magic will cure him. I give one last look towards my attacker, the look in his eyes are unnatural. Almost like he enjoys seeing me suffer.

W͏̶͜͝h̡̨͠͠a҉̢́͟͡ţ̶̵̶͝ ̷̷̀a̷̶͘r̴͠͏̢̡e̶ ̢y̷̢̢͘͝óų̨̕͟͢ ̡́t̶̢ẃ͜͠͝ò͟͟͡ ̧͢͞͏̨d҉͢ǫ̀į̶̢͘n҉͜͜͏g̷͟͝ ̵̶͢i̢n̡̧͡ ̸̴̴̧h̢́͞ȩ̴̛̀r̨͏e̵̶̢͝?́͏́͡

Loutermilch.

"Jesus Blake, are you really sleeping?"

The female voice jolted me out of my sleep as I snapped open my eyes, the monotone drone of the helicopter rotors above instantly settling into earshot. I looked up to see Lynn staring at me rather confused, what had I done?

Oh, right. The helicopter. I was going out to Arizona to investigate yet another murder with Lynn. The pilot departed from the helicopter controls for a brief second, sparing the moment to check what were up to. I adjusted my position on the warm seat and wiped the moisture from my cheeks. Was I crying?

"I'm awake."

I quickly brushed her off and took a look around the interior, recalling the location we were going to. Past the plexiglass windows, things looked very foggy. It took me a few seconds to realize we had arrived at the desert where Jane Doe was supposedly murdered in. The only things I could make out were the mountains around us just managing to break free from the fogs clutches. There were supposed to be trees, but I figured that we were simply too high up.

"You should have slept last night."

She replied, forgetting about the massive amount of camera footage I had to organize last night while she comfortably relaxed in the bathtub. It was a habit of mine, staying up late to finish up on work. I'd stare at the same footage for hours, trying to find the perfect place for it in the report. But sleep was always the winner in these wars I raged in the pitch black, I'd lay my head down to rest my eyes, then the next thing I know, it's morning.

"I had to get that hospital footage organized."

The frequency that we were speaking on was a little garbled, some of her words likely fell into void and not heard by anyone. My headphones felt a bit heavy on my head, I just wanted to remove it and talk normally, but the desert was literally inaccessible without a helicopter.

The news about this Jane Doe, her real name unknown, spread quickly across the media. I sat down in front of my computer and surfed through various articles about her, all of them having their own personal theory about how she died. Some said she was subject to attempted murder, some said it was a suicide. Some said accident, but they couldn't prove jackshit without looking at the medical info taken from her once she was transported to the hospital. Extreme amounts of mercury in her blood, only a month away from birthing a child. Doctors quickly performed an abortion on her, but were perplexed beyond belief when her belly turned out to hold nothing. No baby, just a very big stomach for her size and height. She later died in the hospital due to a seizure. Lynn was of course the person to collect all this information, from some Murkoff agents who were strangely interested in the whole Jane Doe ordeal.

Murder or suicide never really appealed to me, I was more of a 'Governments or corporations putting their noses into where they didn't belong' kind of guy. That meant of course, risk of a lawsuit against me and forcing money out of my pockets for not minding my own business. But it was just that, business. Nothing more. I didn't have any hostility towards the officials or corporations I interrogated, just my business. That didn't happen often though, as I wasn't a freelance journalist, and couldn't do what I wanted, hence why I'm here.

She stared at me for a moment before continuing on.

"You were calling out some other woman's name."

"What?"

I replied, perplexed.

"In your sleep. Jessica, I think."

That name sounded familiar. Very familiar. My mind shot seven miles towards west, I was trying to remember who she was, but stopped after realizing what Lynn would think of it.

"You know a Jessica?"

Shit. I had to think of something quick. Right, uhh, Jessica, Jessica, Jessica... Oh, right! Jessica Gray from the catholic school!

"Oh, I was dreaming about Jessica Gray, when we were kids,"

I replied, stuttering a few words. I hope she still remembered her.

"Oh yeah, I haven't thought about her in ages."

The dread dawned on her face, as it did on mine. We both knew what happened to her.

Staring off to the side, I noticed that pines were starting to clear up beyond the glass, along with the mountains. The pilot was lowering altitude, which meant we had arrived.

"We're crossing into reservation land now. You said I'm looking for some sort of factory?"

The pilot informed, checking the windows to locate the factory where Jane Doe supposedly died at. The reports mentioned her mysteriously disappearing, but nothing past that. And Lynn had a weird obsession with mysteries that came straight out of a horror movie, so I knew right off the bat that this was for her.

"Yeah."

I replied to the pilot as I examined the landing past the panels, trying to locate this supposed factory. I was starting to have doubts that it even existed. Like, why would anyone build something this far away from civilization? A factory is always far from a major city, like they should be, but this was simply too far away. If we crashed by the means of some unlucky miracle, I doubt we'd survive long.

"We can look but there's nothing out here."

He was right, honestly. I sent him a thumbs up without Lynn's attention to confirm his words, he nodded and returned back to conrols. I was glad someone agreed with me. Lynn, on the other hand, was still eager as ever, determined to find the factory.

"So, we're calling it off then?"

The pilot asked me. He was probably sick of this, unlike Lynn, who was leaning into the other window to look more. There was no point in drawing it out, every minute we wasted, this little trip was gonna cost us more. We were gonna have to turn ba **-**

"What, no! We're not turning back."

She exclaimed with a harsh tone, clearly angry. I couldn't understand if she was in denial, or seriously still believed there was a factory out here.

"Lynn, there is nothing out here but trees."

"The woman back in the hospital was probably lying to you to throw us off track. What was her name? Paul something? You know how people who work for Murkoff are, they treat all of their operations as top secret."

I explained, hoping she would understand. I was gonna have to pay more than a thousand for this trip already.

"But then why would she-

"I don't know. I..."

I wasn't sure how to continue. Lynn waited for an answer for a few seconds before sighing and opening her mouth again.

"Look, all the mercury in that woman's blood, she had to have spent at least a decade downstream from some pretty heavy industry."

I stayed silent again, not sure how to retaliate.

"If you say so ma'am, you bought the time."

The pilot replied instead, speeding up the helicopter to scout this area of land faster. She was paying for this, I didn't care one single bit. I crossed my arms to signal her my distress towards the whole situation, which she quickly caught on.

"We should record an intro while we're up here. Production value?"

She mentioned, pointing at the camera with her eyes. I sighed in anger and leaned over to pick it up while Lynn did some things I couldn't decipher at the moment.

My trusty Spatlin brand camera. It was with me all through my career of being a cameraman to Lynn while she did her whole investigative reporter thing. Fitting that the husband would be the cameraman. It had night vision which helped me navigate dark areas with Lynn, more often than a normal journalist couple. An extra set of external and directional microphones that helped me pinpoint noises from far away. I had also brought 2 pieces of battery in case I forgot to put new batteries in the camera. I put my finger on the directional mic. button as the audio would be crap otherwise.

"Audio's gonna be crap, we're gonna have to- OH FUCK!"

Before I could finish my sentence the entire helicopter violently shook, knocking me out of my haze as my glasses fell out of my face into my hands. Lynn turned over to the pilot to check what was going on, quite colorful profanity erupting from his voice cords.

"Sorry about that. The left panel's a little soft, but, uh... We're good."

He nodded in our direction before facing back forward.

"What does that mean?"

I commented in a stupified haze. I didn't know what I was thinking when I said it.

Me and the pilot exchanged an awkward stare before Lynn coughed to remind me we had an intro to record. I swiftly activated the microphone and put my finger on the record button.

"Well, that was exciting." She positioned herself so that her back faced the windows on her side, waiting for me to start recording.

"Get as much of the landscape behind me as you can." I nodded and positioned the screen to mainly face the long trees while she only appeared on the right side of the record. I hoped this intro would be worth it and we wouldn't waste our money taking this helicopter trip. She earned more money than me, but I still didn't want this to cost us too much.

"You got me?"

"Yeah, we're good. Start talking." I put the camera out of standby mode and started recording as she cleared her throat one last time to speak more clearly.

 **Recording**

"I'm Lynn Langermann, here for news tomorrow . net, we're flying past the Havasupai Indian Reservation in central Arizona, in search of the origins of murder victim Jane Do-

"Hey, Lynn." I abruptly cut the recording to quickly remind her to stick to the facts.

"Yeah?"

"I don't think you should say "murdered," we don't know that." We didn't. The records said that she strangled herself to death, not specifically murdered.

"So I'll say she strangled herself to death?"

"That's what the police report says."

"We might play this before the doctor interviews. If this falls in the first thirty, we need to get the word "murder" in there." She quickly lectured me about the arts of being a journalist. No cameraman allowed apparently.

"We should probably mention the fetus too, I mean how it just..." She stalled for a moment, seeming like she recalled something.

"Here, let me try a version that can serve as an intro for the whole piece. Tell me when we're good." I quickly checked the camera to see if anything was malfunctioning after the little bump in the helicopter, but everything looked good.

"Okay, we're good."

 **Recording**

"Two weeks ago, a young woman was found wandering, barefoot, pregnant, and alone on a barren stretch of highway a hundred miles from the nearest- OH." The mountains ended their quiet demeanor as a bright white light emerged from the distance, giving off a deathly sound, triggering off all kinds of alarms on the helicopter. I let out a few yelps before grabbing onto Lynn to protect her from whatever happened to the helicopter. It was spinning out of control wildly and rapidly descending down into the ground.

"SHIT! WE LOST THE ENGINE!" The pilot yelled out as he quickly jumped from the helicopter, grabbing his parachute and leaving us to die. What the fuck was happening? I didn't have time to comprehend the situation before the passenger door flew away, exposing us to the heavy oxygen that could very well be our deaths.

"OH GOD! OH GOD! Lynn managed to yell out before I covered her eyes with my hand, trying to relax her before death overtook us. I knew we were utterly fucked, the helicopter was beyond saving. I tried to hold onto something, darting my eyes all around the cabin while the helicopter was spiraling in all kinds of unorderly manners. Lynn has to be safe, she has to be! Fuck! I'm not gonna make it! In a last desperate attempt to preserve Lynn's life, I threw her towards the vacant pilot cabin, getting ready for my very soon eternal rest.

"HOLD ONTO SOMETHING LYNN!"

BLAKE NO! PLEASE! YOU'VE GOT TO-"

Blackness.

* * *

I slowly opened my eyes, setting sight to something... familiar. Everything was so pristine and well kept, reminding me of catholic school when I was a kid. Blue lockers were strewn on the walls while a model of Jesus hanging on the cross stood on the wall opposite from me. I moved my body around, trying to get a sense of the world around me. Everything seemed so familiar, but yet so distant. Where was I?

I began to move my feet and walked towards the light, passing by the lockers I saw earlier. I felt so small and weak, the lockers were easily twice my height. I didn't question as I walked over to the Jesus model which seemed the most familiar so far. Everything in my head felt so clear than ever before, except for a small buzzing in my head. It reminded me of locusts and maybe bees? I wasn't sure. The buzzing seemed to transition between insect sounds and malfunctioning machinery. It see-

One of the lockers creaked open on its own, slightly startling me before I walked over to it without missing a beat. There were a few books inside, I picked one up to see what it was about.

 _SCIENCE OF FAITH_

I quietly put it down and turned my head towards the locker door where the most interesting stuff was. Medals were hung on it as well as a few pictures of some kids. One of the medals mentioned someone named Jessica... Her name seemed familiar too. I moved on to the pictures, the top one featured 2 girls posing for the camera, and a boy between them. His face looked more familiar than the rest for some strange reason. I stared at him for a few seconds before darting my eyes away to look at the rest of the pictures.

The below one featured one of the 2 girls in the upper picture posing beside her locker, smiling. I examined her features for a few minutes in a trance-like state before moving on, spotting the picture in the very bottom.

It was the same boy again, posing for the camera beside a table and a green writing board. Why did something about him seem so familiar? I couldn't quite place it.

In the end, I shrugged and moved on towards the light, taking a right. More series of lockers stood beside the walls including a few rolling carts with books on top of them. I began to walk towards the open door at the very end of the hallway, not really knowing what to do. Beside me was the map of America hanged on the wall... What? What was the map of America doing in this place? Whatever it was.

As I got closer, I began to notice the big red sign that simply said "EXIT" on top of the open door. An exit from what? I hoped I would find out soon.

I strolled until I reached the doorway, planning to walk through it. I took a few more steps before the door suddenly slammed on me, pushing me back a few feet. I strangely didn't react, and simply watched the now closed door that was once open. Why wasn't I reacting to anything? I felt like something was missing from me, something that should be in everyone. What was a reaction? I clearly didn't have what it takes to have a "reaction" to something. If then, what was I doing here?

I began to pick up someone humming behind me. Her tone sounded bored, and aloof. I slowly turned around, curious to learn who was producing the eerie hımming.

It's her.

Indeed, it was her doing the humming. She stared at me with cold dead eyes that looked quite lifeless for her, weirdly. She looked quite happy in her photos. What had happened to her? Or, what was happening to her? Why you? I thought I had forgotten...

The moment I took a step towards her, a huge body of blood emerged from behind her, picking up speed towards our direction. I took a quick step back before it swiftly engulfed me and her inside it, drowning us in its thick interior. I struggled to get out, but it was to no avail. The whole hallway was full of blood and I was drowning. Everything was going black. At that moment, I felt it. The true fear. The type of fear that only a few random people get to experience in their lives. It told them to run, to hide or to die. The fight and flight response. I managed to let out a small gag before I gave into death, my body progressively becoming limp as I drifted away. This was it then, the beginning of an end. Blackness eventually covered all of my vision, and I felt my senses dissipate one by one. After a few more seconds, I was now once alive.

 _ **We're not alone here**_

* * *

Aching overtook my body as soon as my conscious managed to drag itself somewhere inside my head, throbbing like a fire threatening to strengthen. It felt like someone took a wet stick and smacked me again and again until all of my brain cells died. I didn't know where my current location was, let alone what happened to me. I slowly opened my eyes in agony, setting sight to my badly cut up and limp arm and a torch set down near me. It took me a moment to register my position; I was lying on the ground, trapped by helicopter door on top of me...

Wait a minute, helicopter door? But we were just... riding a helicopter. Faint memories of Lynn screaming popped into my mind, and I immediately caught on to what had happened to me.

We crashed.

I put my head back in exhaustion, seeing my camera lying behind me. How the hell was I gonna get this huge door off of me? I struggled, but the door only moved an inch. I felt trapped, and I was. I struggled again, pushing the door with all my might, but my arms gave out and the door fell back on me.

Shit.

I stared up at the moon, glowing at us even at the darkest times. I liked to think of it as a metaphor to never give up. Or at least my catholic teachers did. Really, to me, it was just pretty and gave us light at night.

I looked back down at the helicopter door still on me, not eager in the slightest to move a little bit. I wasn't getting out of here until a rescue team came. If they never did, I would just starve to death and turn into a corpse right here, right then. I couldn't call anybody either, my smartphone was back home where it was at zero charge. The pilot was the only one that could've survived, but I didn't know where the heck he was. And Lynn...

Lynn. Fuck.

I didn't know where the heck she was either. She could've survived like me and could've just been wandering around while I was laying here unconscious. In fact, she may just be doing that right now.

I needed to get out of this position. I pushed at the door with all my upper body strength, not daring to give up, even though my arms were aching like crazy. Finally, the door came off and got thrown to the side as I quickly rose up to my feet, looking down at my body to inspect what damage had been done to me.

My green parka had been torn to shreds, with little cuts strewn all over it. Thankfully, my batteries were unscathed in my pockets, waiting to be consumed by my camera over there. I leaned over to it and swiftly snatched it into my hands, checking to see if it was still in good working order.

It was. Everything seemed perfectly functional and ready to work as I flipped on the lid, looking through it to examine my surroundings. I was on the side of a cliff, and probably nearly fell off too along with my camera. The helicopter wreckage wasn't too hard to spot either, just on another cliff a little bit in front and below me. I needed a way down there, whatever it took me to achieve that.

 _Find Lynn, nothing matters but Lynn._

This was my temporary motto from now on. I needed to make sure she was safe and with me before I tried to find civilization. My best hope right now was that she met up with the pilot and were looking a way out of there. I hoped she didn't waste time trying to look for me. I could handle myself.

I examined the little cliff I was on, trying to find a way down. There was a small drop beside me, leading to some obstacles that required me to flex a few joints and muscles to get through. Nothing I won't do for Lynn.

I dropped down, focusing fully on my path instead of the helicopter. I wanted to find out if she was in there after I got down... I couldn't bear to look. There was a short slope I needed to ride down to get down further. I took in a sharp breath and did it without thinking twice, managing to find my footing when I reached the end. Every second I wasted, Lynn had the chance to slip away from me forever, and I couldn't accept that if I ever found out. I'd rather die thinking she was safe rather than live, knowing that your wife was lost because of you.

"It's not my fault," I repeated, dropping down from a few more rocks before coming across a gap. I could probably jump it, but it'd take effort. Again, nothing I won't do for her. I backed down a little bit, putting myself in the right position before sprinting towards the small gap, hopping along to the other side gracefully. Turning the opposite way, I dropped down yet again, getting closer to the main crash site. The anticipation was killing me. I needed to find out if she was in there.

After a few more steps, I came across a steep surface a normal human normally couldn't stand on. No, I needed to shimmy ahead to get to the other side, both religiously and literally, depending on what happened. I needed to be more careful with this one though, as one wrong step could easily be the end of me. Also, it would be pretty stupid to survive a helicopter crash only to die later while shimmying across a 2-foot ledge.

I took in a few breaths before putting my heels on the rock, analyzing my every step and praying to god I would make it. The emptiness that stood before me was the most frightening thing so far. I had never been so close to death before, and I could seriously die here if I was not careful. I wasn't in a dream, this was actually legit.

Fortunately, I successfully reached the other side without falling off and dropped off to land on a solid surface again. I was getting really close now. Only a very small jump ahead of me.

I had the sudden urge to zoom in with my camcorder, but I had to fight it. I needed to see it with my own two near-sighted eyes. I quickly made the jump and ran towards the wreckage, on the verge of crying. Bits of metal parts were lying around the site, and I made sure to leave them alone as I got over to the remaining, not disassembled part of the helicopter.

The whole interior was in flames, so it was difficult to see if anybody was inside. I ripped open the pilot door and peeked inside, looking at the passenger seats, and thankfully finding just the seats, and not her body.

I sighed in relief and pulled out my camera, planning to record this. Could be good for showing this to the press later on, or I just wanted to have it on my camera to show it to friends later on.

 **Recording**

"She wasn't there. Lynn's body wasn't in the wreckage. She could still be alive." I reminded myself to do a voice-over in case anyone didn't get the point when they watched it. I didn't have Lynn's skillful reporter voice, so I needed to make do with my own. I put the camera down and examined the big flaming ball of metal one last time, quite amazed at the amount of destruction a helicopter could cause.

To look on the bright side, I didn't have to pay the helicopter fee anymore, and I'm sure the pilot didn't care either, wherever he was.

Curiously, I put my camera up again, remembering the bright light that spun the helicopter out of control. What was that? I was pretty sure I was recording, as we were doing an intro the moment before the white flash came.

I picked the second intro and pressed the play button, getting to relive the moments just before the chaos for the second time. She was talking about Jane Doe, but I didn't give a flying fuck about her anymore. I just wanted to find Lynn then find help. Easier said than done.

The approaching noise could be heard over the recording, but the camera had cut out just before the flash came... The only thing that came to mind was an EMP, but that was crazy, nobody in this area would have the money and people to build something like that which would cover a massive part of the desert. It wasn't close by either. I repeated the recording again, making sure I didn't miss anything. The pilot talked about the engines being gone, and the camera was too, apparently. So the light must've been something related to EMP's. The camera was working fine afterward though... My bet was temporary EMP, as a camera can survive a few seconds of a blackout, but a helicopter can't. Or something like that.

I just didn't know. Focus Blake, find Lynn.

I put the camera away and continued down my path, remembering to check anything that looked like a corpse. There seemed to be a slope that I could slide down like before, but the area was too dark. So I put the camera near my eyes again and turned on the NV, squeezing my eyes shut for a moment to adjust to the green-tinted wilderness.

Sliding down and eventually finding my footing, I began to pace towards a campfire that seemed to be the outlier in the pitch black. I'd be really screwed if my camera wasn't with me right now, and I didn't even bring it for this purpose.

The plants and trees weren't too difficult to navigate through except for a few rocks down on the ground, but my night vision took care of that skillfully. I looked terrible. My skin and overalls skewered due to the crash, my ribs hanging just loose off their roots. I was scared, and my body was certainly reflecting that. Sore, mangled, and torn beyond recognition. Rangy cuts hosted across my entire body, dripping red with each step I took into the woods. Fuck! I need to rest, stop the bleeding. I'm gonna die. Dammit.

After enough walking, I finally arrived to the foretold campfire, and immediately thrust what was left of my collar against my nose. I gagged hard, a horrifying stench gushing me full in the face as I staggered backwards, prompting me to almost puke before I looked away. What the fuck is that smell? The scent got stronger and more disgusting the more I walked closer to the fire. What the fuck, a fire wasn't supposed to smell this bad.

I pointed the NV of my camera towards the silhouette on top of the fire, and quickly discovered the source of this horrifying stench and now scenery.

 **Recording**

"The pilot. I don't even remember his name. What the fuck kind of people would skin somebody alive? Jesus Christ Lynn..."

I couldn't believe my eyes. That was definitely the pilot. He was naked down to the skin and covered in blood, hanging on some kind of stick and rope was tied around his body, and his... penis was gone.

What the actual fuck.

I need to keep moving. Whoever that did this to the poor man, it wouldn't be long before they found Lynn. Oh god, the thought of her being skinned alive...

I need to find her fast.


	2. Temple Gate

The pilot didn't deserve this fate. Not one single bit. He just got dragged into this and paid the price instead of us. I felt extremely bad for him. Even if I ignored him for a moment, the whole act itself seemed detached from reality. Most corpses I saw during my career consisted of a single gunshot or several knife wounds. But this just seemed... too elaborate. Why would anyone go into these lengths to kill someone? The only reason that I could think of was some kind of revenge. Like, "You killed my relative, now I'm going to dismantle your fucking corpse then hang you up on a tree." kind of revenge. But I doubted that a helicopter pilot who lived in New York would have beef with someone all the way out here.

My eyes wandered to the fire underneath, watching its beautiful flames crisp the mutilated corpse above. Wait a minute... crispy. They were cooking the corpse. Whoever did this was most likely a cannibal, and probably left the pilot for a bit before planning to come back and eat him.

It would also explain Jane Doe, as she also disappeared around these parts too. I needed to keep moving though, no telling when this psycho would catch up to me. I walked past the pilot's corpse and began to walk through a failed cave that lacked a roof. Still, the acoustics started to get funny such as my breathing somehow managing to echo back several times.

I paid no attention as I paced through the very short cavern, reaching the end of the path a few seconds later. Another slope crossed my path, this time a few rocks blocking it. I should be able to ride it down without any injuries. I carefully placed my feet on the wet dirt and let the rest of my body slide. I regretted my decision the moment my feet slammed into the rocks, breaking my momentum and sending me plummeting head first towards the bottom.

I managed to put my arms forwards just in time to protect my head before I crashed into the rocky surface of the desert, bending my left wrist in an awkward way. Groaning, I picked my body off the ground in agony, setting eyes towards the stunning view that greeted me.

Managing to pull my eyes away from the gorgeous moon, it wasn't too long before I spotted the faint distinct shape of a house among the fog. Oh thank god a town, I thought we were miles away from anything. This was worth documenting.

 **Recording**

"There's not supposed to be anything for miles. But... I'm not alone out here. There is a cannibal roaming around. Fuck, what did I get myself into?"

I switched back to the menu, noticing that my NV already sucked off all of my battery. I still had 2 more though. I picked one up from my pocket and stuck the thing in the camcorder, giving it a small whack to make sure it got in there.

The small house hosted a short windmill in its fenced confines. I quickly vaulted past it and landed beside a working generator. It most likely kept the house charged and the windmill working, probably. What I was interested in were the residents, I needed to find somebody that would help me and treat me first. Lynn was important, but I couldn't do jack shit to help her if I was wounded.

I walked up to the door and gave it a few knocks. The house could be very well be the cannibal's, but my wounds were literally killing me. I'd die of my internal bleeding well before the cannibal did.

"Hello? I'm lost... and hurt." I knocked again, no one was answering. I tried the doorknob, and was surprised to find it unlocked, but wasn't opening. I smashed my shoulder against it, swiftly receiving another injury to the shoulder as I rubbed it with my palm. The door was open, something was just blocking the door from the inside.

Goddammit.

I decided to let it go and walked down the specifically laid out path to yet another house. This one had a shed with some farming gear and a few industrial wheels in it. The house itself had boarded up windows, and the air started to become stale around it. I walked around the house, trying to get a peek of the inside before I tried the door. Nope, the windows were completely blocked off. I tried the directional mics, trying to pinpoint footsteps or perhaps someone breathing inside. Nothing again except for some mosquito buzzing inside.

I walked up the door, surprised to find it half open. It kept getting shut and opened by the wind. I ended the cycle by fully opening it, getting politely welcomed in by a lovely wave of a rotting stench originating from the kitchen.

"Is anybody there? Please."

To the side of the door featured various backpacks beside a chair, and a coat rack with a cowboy hat, a lone jacket hung up on it. Beside the door in front of me was another coat rack with the same type of jacket on it, but no hat. Weird, it looks like people are still living here, but the disgusting smell from the kitchen says otherwise. There were too many questions, but no answers. I even had doubts that this cannibal character I made up even existed. This place just seemed like an abondoned town to me.

Sighing, I tried the door in front, muttering an "of course" before moving on the empty doorframe on my right. This was where the smell was coming from. I turned my head to the right, locking eyes with a deceased man slumped on a table. Fuck, that's the second corpse I've seen today. Who the hell was going around murdering these people? I needed an answer.

As I stepped closer, I noticed there was an enourmous gash on his neck, and the bloodied knife on his pale hand just screamed suicide. But I held off the thought and picked up a piece of paper with some writing on it from beside him, starting to read.

 _My Dear Sweet Ellie_

 _I can't bear what we done, nor being apart from our little ones, so I'm going over and hoping you forgive me for leaving you behind, and God forgives me this last trespass. I know that they had to be offered up, but I'm all tore up inside and can't live no more. Hopefully the end will come soon and we can be together again, unless God burns me forever for this sin. Until then, I hope you find what woman's comfort you need in the arms of Papa Knoth._

 _Yours forever._

I snapped a picture of this sad but quite weird suicide note. I would normally feel sad, but I didn't really understand why this guy committed suicide. And who the hell was Papa Knoth? Teachers have read me the entire Bible in one sitting, but I have never seen that name mentioned anywhere in the book.

I turned back, spotting some apples dumped in a pot. Beside them were some cooking stuff that I didn't see well because of the NV. Nothing was worth checking out except for them, so I left the room and was planning on leaving the house, only to be caught surprised by the sudden movement in the locked door that I tried to open earlier. Someone on the other side was trying to bust it down. Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck. I took a step back to avoid getting trapped under the door if whoever that was on the other side managed to break it down.

They stopped after a few bumps, and I took the opportunity to haul ass out of there. I felt sick to my stomach. Even if that guy did it to himself, there was the pilot still. Someone had to have done that to him. There was certainly something off about this place, and I didn't like it one bit.

Lynn.

In my path was another house, and a small bike stood near some kind of shed. In front of that was some rotting biomatter and a body of murky looking water enclosed in a box. I turned back to the rotting carcass, finding it to be a cattle with its guts literally spilling out of its stomach. I gagged hard, trying to hold in my puke. Oh god, don't puke. For the love of god, don't puke. I quickly left that little area, setting eyes to usual village stuff and some barrels.

"All flesh is grass to fatten oxen. Sacrifice. Sacrifice."

Who's... Past the fence was a person, spouting words I couldn't make any sense of. His eyes gleamed under the tint of the night vision, slowly backing away in response to my arrival. Okay, I'm slightly unnerved. I could just open my mouth and start talking, but these people looked like they had a problem. Beside the individual blending into the fog behind the fence was another person, him too gazing into my eyes like I was some sort of a genetic freak. What the fuck? What's happening? Why are they...

"Liar and father of lies. Liar and father of lies. Liar and father of lies."

The darkness behind them was a like black hole, sucking them in as they retraced their steps towards it. Once I had no visual or sound of them, I quietly backed away until I was set firmly into my original path, shrugging them off as just psychopaths roaming in the woods.

My camera battery was starting to get low already. Already? Spatlin brand cameras always sucked battery power like they were eating pizza. Usually you had to go through 5 in a single day if you wanted to keep them working. Not good for the environment, but perfect for journalists. I put the camera away, letting it rest for a minute to cool it off.

Another door to my left started being pushed violently in order to break. I quickly hid in a barrel next to me and awaited for them to emerge.

They had stopped. I checked with my microphones one last time to make sure the bangings had stopped before getting out of the barrel, accidentally dropping its lid onto the ground in the process. I didn't bother to pick it up as I moved on my path, but it came to an end as I shot one last glance at that wooden shack. My sick curiosity was going to be the death of me. I needed to know. I turned back, trying the door now on my right that was trying to be breaked down. The window was blocked off by wooden pallets, but the inside was still visible and had artificial lightning. I didn't bother to give it a knock as I pushed it open, hearing some faint screams from somewhere else. Where the fuck was I? People were definitely being killed, but by what? Why?

The inside was your typical countryside house, with a single stove on the left unoccuppied by anything cooking. A wooden cabinet on my direct left hosted a clean bandage inside a bag. I swiftly snatched it up without missing a beat and bandaged my badly hurt arm, to at least stop the bleeding.

On the table stood a paper with writing, and on the wall was sitting a picture of an overweight man posing dramatically for the camera. Oh wait that's a drawing. I shrugged and picked up the paper, preparing my brain to sift through this religious text.

 _Dear Father_

 _Our loving God continues to bless me with visions and I know more certain than ever that The Enemy is nearer with every day. I was scrubbing the stains of Daniel's room when the blessed music rose inside me and sank me into true sight where I saw a creature like the burning sun but with inward rings of teeth upon teeth and dangling beneath limbs that I took to be arms but were cocks that rose in childing purpose and as this monstrous sun descended, it fucked the earth and birthed some great and slouching horror from the fire. I was filled with the same fear, so great that I could not breathe nor move and saw myself all those years back blinding Daniel with the lye and tried to weep but could not and when I woke I found myself wet with lusting, painfully desirous to find a man inside me and the feeling was not so far different from the fear. I tried to comfort myself with your teachings "terror is as joy in the movement of God," but I would take greater comfort in your manhood inside me and a firm prayer that the antichrist be strangled in my womb. The most faithful of your flock is holy longing,_

 _Lisa_

I quietly snapped a picture and put it down on the table where it originally lied at, my brain absolutely mindfucked. WHAT THE FUCK! This read like the incoherent ramblings of a madman. I felt absolutely sick to my stomach, being in such close proximity to this woman made me feel violated more than ever. I left the little mad house in a hurry and went back to my original path.

To my right were metal fences which blocked me access to the wilderness, which I think I would prefer instead of this town. The roads split, leaving me with 2 choices. To my right was a dead end hosting a small children table with a battery, and to my left were more farming gear and more houses. I quickly ran over to the battery, swapping batteries of the camera just to make sure power was full in case I needed NV or my mics.

I turned on the bright NV, immediately setting widened eyes to a human corpse with its guts all spilled out like the cattle from before. This was still too elaborate. Why would these people go to these lengths to mangle with corpses after they killed them and just leave them out on the streets? It was obvious that they were all, or at least maybe some of them were all religious fanatics who operated under the Bible, but the book never said "You shall rip the guts off of your fellow neighbour and and dump them in thy streets to become insect food," so who was commanding them?

I shrugged at the insanity and moved on to the left, moving past a giant wheel that looked right fit to a monster truck.

Jesus Christ.

Another house was to my right, and a low height metal fence with dead children pictures hanged on the wire, along with small human skulls laid out along with lit candles accompanying them. That's fucked up. The more I tried to ignore the obvious psychopathy, the more they shoved it in my face. Jesus fucking christ. I looked up to see someone watching me. I stopped dead in my tracks, backing away a good 5 steps. He quietly backed away after looking at me for a solid 30 seconds, setting my mind at unease once again. After making sure they weren't coming back, I pointed my camcorder toward the photos, beginning to record.

 **Recording**

"Tragedy wall. Topped with barbed wire. I could feel the tension in my skin, like someone was watching me." I cut the recording and tried to find a way into the house. I tried the door which had some kind of symbol drawn on it. Nope, locked. The window beside it was half open though, I swiftly flicked it ope- CAW CAW

OH JESUS... Fuckin' birds. Managed to get me though. I quickly hopped inside, hoping that no one dangerous had heard the small ruckus. The cannibal theory was already trashed in my mind. It was most likely these people's doing.

Inside, to my right was a tiny counter filled with candles to the brim, with most likely the Bible open in a random page. To my left was typical house stuff; Counters filled with pots, cold stoves sitting in the darkness, and coat rocks with some summer coats hung up on them.

One door to my left was left ajar, and the door in front of me was locked with a deadbolt. Thankfully I was on the side of the deadbolt. I tried the open door first, finding nothing but a small closet with another coat rack inside. I quietly shut it behind me and unlocked the door with the deadbolt, setting sight to a fenced in backyard.

Well, this was a boring backyard. Only an adult tree was present and the rest was all sand and pebbles. I was about to turn back when my eyes locked into a broken part of the metal fence. It looked like I could crawl out if I wanted, although I could climb too. I took the easier path and took my slashed up parka through a short trip on the sand and crawled out of the backyard with ease. Jesus, kid me would go nuts in there.

The other side was a carved out path to my right, while the left side was occupied with the dead children photos. Obviously, I took the right and began my stroll into the unknown.

I took my camera off of my eyes for a second, swiftly putting it back up when I was met with pitch black darkness. It's like the moon was broken or something. Give me some of that light.

I dropped my joking attitude when the path turned out to be a religious one. Crosses were dug into the dirt all around me, and I felt uneased. I had an ugly feeling in my gut that I would soon meet these mysterious townspeople.

After a good few meters or so, I was met with the entrance to something called Satanas Inimical Del, translated into english, it meant Satan's gift to God. I was right about something after all, I looked up the entrance to see a woman with something over her head just... watching me. Like the guy near the house. NV made her eyes glow which made it even more frightening. She quietly backed away after noticing that she was noticed, just like the other person. Okay, I was getting freaked out right now. What were they planning to do with me? Turn me into a pile of guts like everything else in this godawful place?

I entered through the empty doorway, going down some stairs into something else. I didn't really know anymore. I was just blindly following whichever path existed that allowed me to get past. The stairs creaked with every step, and I got increasingly more nervous as I went down deeper into this place. Faint stenches of rot and burnt skin entered my nose, and blocking them out with my collar was to only way to not pass out by the strong smell.

The stairs ended at about 3 feet down into the ground, and I walked through a brief pathway before I came across some kind of praying room, with a piece of paper lying on top of a wooden counter which reminded of the ones our religious school used. Didn't surprise me one bit that it would be in here too. I curiously picked it up and went through the words.

It was some kind of religious song, talking about readying the knife and killing the baby inside that The Enemy sent to die in Temple Gate. I snapped a picture and ripped it to shreds, leaving it on the bloody ground where it belonged. I normally wouldn't do that, but the mental torment these people put me through even though I just met them less than an hour ago made me resent them already. I was constantly on edge during my little trip through the town, and this awful smell wouldn't go away. Examinimg the room, I noticed the half part of a doll sitting among some sharp sticks that looked like those of a porcupine. On the center of the room stood a pile of hay on a rolling car, and it wouldn't be too far of a strecth to think there was a corpse underneath, judging by all the files concentrated on it.

I sighed in disbelief and continued on, taking a right and finding the source of the disgusting smell. It was a pile of burnt children who looked like they were all around 6 or 8. I bit my tongue in anger and put the camera on record, determined to show this to the public.

 **Recording**

"They burnt their fucking children. I stumbled upon some kind of religious cult village and this is the most disgusting shit I've seen so far. I started to smell the kids from the entrance, and it doesn't look like they'll be cleaning this up anytime soon." I put the NV back on and ran past the poor kids, not wanting to lower my grip on reality any further.

I climbed back up 3 feet through a staircase, putting in my last battery from the outside world into my camera. There was no telling who'd pop up, and I needed to be able to see through the dark. I had the advantage of directional microphones and night vision. They didn't. I suppose that gave me an edge.

I finally left "Satanas Inimical Del" and stepped back into the wilderness. The stench of the children were starting to dissapear, and I almost thought it was over before I stared up at the roof, noticing the same lady from the entrance staring at me with lustful eyes. She backed down after a few seconds, diving back into the darkness. Did she do it? Burn the kids? She looked like the type of person who'd do it. I was tempted to give a kind fuck you to her but held off. Angering some murdering maniacs didn't seem like the brightest idea.

I began my pace towards the path, going past a toy horse that was meant for children. After almost a few steps, slides entered my view along with a baby cart with a doll inside. Sick motherfuckers. It's like they were rubbing it in my face.

Staying on the path, I was able to find my way to a closed gate. Great, now what? I stood around, not being able to move along. I couldn't climb it either.

Something from the bushes moved around, and I swung my head towards the direction of the sound, dropping my camera under the gate in the process. I frantically swung my head back and forth, not quite knowing which thing to concentrate on. Giving up, I dove on the ground to snatch my precious camera, but dirtying my outfit with coarse sand. After rubbing it off, I noticed I could actually crawl under this gate. It was bent forward and the ground beneath it was dug up just enough that I could crawl through.

Emerging from the other side, I followed the path up near some woodwork laying in the side, undisturbed by the chill wind breezing past. I followed the path further, spotting a shed in front filled with some more farming gear and woodwork. The entire area was silent as a rat, and unsettlement overtook my mind as the smell of a fresh kill entered my nose. It's like my body was being overloaded with senses that I didn't need.

"In the book of life of the Lamb slain..."

What was that?

"A blade's baptism for the spider eyed lamb."

I could pick out a distinct mumbling through the directional microphones, now clearer than before. The person speaking had the vocal cords of a dying woman. She was mumbling the same religious nonsense I read in the letters to this father of theirs. I turned the mic. on and off, trying to determine how close she was. Swiftly snatching a battery left on a closed barrel, I crouched and turned the microphone on, moving very carefully through this area. I could see the intensity of the sound in my camera, and that would let me know how close this person was. I didn't know if she was dangerous, but I needed to treat with caution. They'd have no problem doing the same thing to me as they did to those corpses.

This area seemed like the place they cut down trees at. Trucks with wooden planks loaded into them were all over the place, and bits of wooden furniture were scattered throughout the path.

I cut my route away from the path, I needed to be smart if I didn't want to get caught. The advantage was that she hadn't noticed me yet, and was probably praying in the moment, judging by her words. The woman spoke more nonsense as I stumbled across a burnt out campfire stationed near a tent. Could be a good place to hide if I was found. I was hyperfocused in her voice, and my feet were quivering in fear as her voice got more pronounced. Fuck me.

I turned around the edge of a house I was sticking close to, and heard the woman abruptly end her chanting and scream her guts out. The camera picked out footsteps getting louder, and I was pretty sure what was coming. I backed away, spotting her figure emerge from the fog. Fuck fuck fuck fuck. She seemed to be carrying some sort of a giant pickaxe on her shoulder.

Her pace towards me got quicker and I felt my brain go into fight or flight mode as I turned tail and hauled ass back to the shed, hiding in a barrel the battery was on.

I shut off the microphone and waited for her to open the barrel and drive that giant pickaxe through my head. Oh god.

I was right about to get out before the camera picked up footfalls from the direction I ran away from. It wasn't too long before she emerged into view, moving her head around to look for me. Her exact place was hard to pinpoint, the acoustics of the outside were weird from inside this barrel. She looked damn threatening with that pickaxe. Had to be at least 8 feet tall... She had some sort of cloak around her which overshadowed her face, making it hard to pick her figure out from the darkness.

She paced around the shed and walked past the barrel I was in. If she thought to remove the lid, I was done for. Instead, she stopped near me, listening in for any kind of noise I might generate. I was holding my breath at that point, my body was all tensed up from the fear, and I was on the verge of crying. I reflected back to memories with Lynn that I was fond of, especially the one with picnic. Lynn.

She looked around for a bit before leaving, heading towards the gate where the burnt children were at.

"God. Do you want him?" Her figure blended into the fog as the footsteps got more quiet, and eventually disappeared completely. But I still didn't want to leave.

Who the fuck was she? She was probably with the religious cult, but why didn't they attack me while she did? Maybe they knew I was heading in her direction, and held off from attacking me until I came right to her and my guts were ripped out. My mind flashed back to the gutted corpses and the cattle, and I connected the dots together. It was her doing, wasn't it?

I hope Lynn's doing okay.


	3. Sullivan Knoth

Hesitating, I managed to collect enough bravery to pull my body away from the safety of the cradle that was the barrel. It looked like she wasn't coming back, but I imagined I'd see her in the future again. Was she their leader? It seemed like it, but they mentioned Papa Knoth in their letters, not her. Who was this Papa Knoth? How did he fit into all of this? It was probably better for my mind that I didn't ponder these things until I was able to gather more evidence about it.

Stepping away from the shed, I came across a house that looked a bit out of order. The door was jammed, and the windows were all barred shut with wooden pallets. My best bet was probably going back in direction the pickaxe wielding maniac chased me away from. I passed the house she ambushed me from, and came across a large shed. The gate was shut, but there was a lack of ground beneath it where I could slip through just enough to get to the other side. This opening was smaller than the gate before, so I put in more effort to get through.

I was in a building. Good. Most likely away from her, for now. Not standing around to waste more time, I vaulted past a wooden barricade and came across a ladder with its primary function crippled. It was broken. Lynn could probably do this to a ladder when she was overweight in college. I chuckled, but ultimately strayed my mind away from her thought. I needed to focus, and thinking about her made vulnerable to surprise attacks.

Looking around, I noticed a cabinet laying on the side that I could push near the ladder to climb up to the roof part of this barn. Drawing in a sharp breath, I gripped the handles and pushed the thing all the way to the ladder, sighing in relief. I looked around for a bit to make sure no one was watching me again, and quickly made my way up to the roof.

On my right stood a paper above some pieces of hay. I slipped it into my hands and went through the words, eager to know more about this place.

...

What the...

I tossed the paper away and evaluated what I had just learned. This Knoth guy had created a few verses resembling the Bible, and considering that this was chapter 13, I imagined there were a lot more verses. One of the verses mentioned killing the Antichrist several times. Okay, the woman that wrote the madman letter mentioned it too. Antichrist and wombs had a connection, and it didn't take me too long to figure out what was going on.

Papa Knoth was instructing them to do these things, and most likely made them do it in some way. They believed his fake verses and killed every child their women birthed and dumped them in the weird named temple I found prior to meeting the pickaxe woman. Antichrist was probably their sick incentive for killing. Still, I didn't know why they were bent on stalking me, or killing me. I was starting to have doubts that Lynn was still alive, but even if she wasn't, I needed to see her corpse.

I shrugged and moved onto the left path, having to crawl to get through this area. I was above wooden beams, and piles of hay were scattered throughout the path. Timber groaned with every sudden jerk of movement I made, I was more than cautious as I trampled through, making sure I didn't sink too much of my weight onto them. But of course, luck was never on my side. The last beam collapsed as I put my arm on it, I tried to jump back but was too slow, eating shit towards the ground.

Ow. Fuck.

I picked myself up, noticing that my glasses had flown away. I searched for them with my hand, swiftly putting them on before standing up.

"God."

What the-

"Do you want him? Then you'll have him..."

It was her again, she was watching me from behind a wired fence, her face overshadowed by her cloak. I backed away, thinking that she was going to bust through the wall. She stared at me for a minute before backing away, her figure blending into the fog.

Okay, now that was another thorn in my ass. I needed to watch out for her. Judging by her demeanor, she was intent on killing me.

Survived a helicopter crash, stumbled upon a satanic cult, received many injuries and now hunted by a mutant freak wielding a pickaxe. Ugh, I hate it when that happens. I headed back, taking a left to find a way out of here.

To my left were some hay and a dead end, to my right was a barrel and more hay stacked near an open window. At least I found my way out. I noticed some pitchforks situated near the stacks of hay I found. They could be a good weapon to protect me against attackers. But how was I gonna hold both the camera and the pitchfork? I left them be. NV and directional microphones were more useful than a weapon I didn't know how to use and would slow me down.

The window it was. I hopped through, setting my boots near a single barrel and a steep slope I couldn't climb up to. My only available path was to go right. What awaited me was some wood cutting technology and a large generator offline. I touched it to determine if it had been activated recently, but only sensed the same cold the winds were made out of. Surely an abondoned town, but the residents were still here.

Across from the generator was an open window to another house. I quickly hopped through and adjusted my eyes to the sudden brightness, the lamp above was active despite the lack of a generator. From the table near me stood a handheld lamp with some juice left over. I swiftly snatched it and shut it off, it was less useful than the NV and would give away my position, but I needed something in case the camera died out.

I was planning to record, but I misclicked and activated the microphones, being suddenly bombarded with several footsteps. Oh no, was it her again? I listened again, picking up some sort of male mumbling of religious phrases like the pickaxe woman.

I needed to be careful. I couldn't know if they wanted to kill me, but from their past actions, I wasn't stepping one foot towards them. I locked the door and flipped on the window, hopping through and keeping low through the tall grass. I took a right, coming up to some sort of road with barrels stationed on the sides. I still kept near the grass, not daring to step in their view. My camcorder could pick out a fire burning and someone mumbling to themselves. Again, I needed to watch my back.

I passed a wooden rolling cart and some more barrels before spotting a window into another home. Another one. I quickly ran over, pushing it up and hopping in, making sure to close it behind me. I wasn't sure what I was hiding from, but there was certainly someone around here. Safe inside for now. I quickly rummaged through the house, making sure I didn't miss another battery or another lamp. Looking through the window, I could see a fire burning amongst the darkness, but nothing living so far. Where the hell was he?

I locked the door and flipped the window on, scouting the area with my mic. I hear you moving, jackass. I hopped out, remembering to crouch and not generate too much noise. I moved towards the right, passing by a small shed with some more pitchforks and hay. I turned on my NV, seeing the guy through the wooden planks. Oh fuck. I crouched again, hiding near the hay. He didn't know I was here, he didn't know I was here. You're okay...

I have to run. My plan was to run through between houses and take the path to the right get out of this little town area. Okay... On one, two, THREE! I scrambled to my feet and began into a wild dash, glancing to my left and seeing him strolling in my direction.

"Hey!"

Fuck! I pressed on forward without hesitating in the slightest, drifting right and onwards towards the carved pathway leading under a ravine. I didn't dare look behind me, a small group of screaming men a confusing blockade in my path. I ducked down the instant one of them raised his club over his shoulder, but was forced to his knees along with the booming sound rushing through the air. I didn't have time to comprehend what it was, my mind went blank as hot white clarity flooded my entire vision, I clamped my eyes shut and flew backwards onto the ground with a firm thump.

It took a moment to recollect everything and open my eyes, locking sight towards the dazed and thrashing cultists. They were waving their machetes around wildly and screaming gibberish that didn't make an inch of sense.

"Daddy help... Daddy help me..."

They can't see me. It's like they're... hypnotized.

"Please father. Please father!"

I looked behind me, another one of them was in the same state, hands on his head, barely able to stand. It's like they were seeing something I wasn't.

"Fire. The lamp spilled, daddy!"

I've got to get the fuck out of here. I snapped a picture of a paper on the ground, and simply ran away until my legs gave out. Stumbling onto the ground, I gave a sigh as my exhausted body laid motionless on the sand. Oh fuck... what was that? My ears were ringing, and I felt static travel through my brain. Some questionable things were happening here, that was for certain.

I managed to pull my head away from the ground for a second, seeing a blurred building with torches set around it, and promptly passing out.

* * *

 _"...We stand in our position towards the Antichrist! If we hope to beat him, we cannot only try to be like Jesus."_

My head was hit with a surge of soundwaves as I slowly came to, trying my best to open my eyes. Fuck, I passed out. Where am I?

 _"Do you hate us God? Do you hate this world? And do you know what God says? God said unto Moses: I am that I am. And that's all there is to it. We need to be like God!"_

Someone was talking through the speakers. Oh god no. Don't make my headache worse. I slowly rose to my feet, setting sight to a path leading to some kind of chapel. Torches were set around as some sort of welcoming committee. I trudged forward, hesitant to enter this building.

 _"Now... God has sent us this woman. Fallen like a rebellious angel from the sky. Take the gag off."_

Lynn? Oh god, they have her. I need to hurry.

 _"God, I ask you, who is this outsider? This stranger come into our midst?"_

Her cries were audible from the speaker, getting interrupted by his speech. What are you doing to her you fuckers?!

 _"Listen to me. Please. We crashed. We-"_

 _"Hush, child. You've already revealed your tongue fit for nothing but lies. God's truth is here now, come to reckon. God, I lay these hands on this dissembling sinner and ask that you reveal the truth. Pray with me, children. 'God give me voice, God guide my hand.'_

 **Recording**

"It's enourmous. Like some sort of hillbilly Vatican. How could have all of this been here and nobody knows about it? It's not possible."

I ambled up to the entrance, finding the main gate to be locked. Okay, it's not gonna be that easy. I scouted the wooden fences around, finding one area to be unstable. It came off with one quick kick. I wasn't thinking straight, my only attention was on the speakers, hoping that sly voice hadn't hurt her in any way.

I crawled through, evaluating my next path. I turned on my NV, finding the battery completely dead. Shit. Hope these ones I picked up still had some power in them. I stuck it in, giving a smack to get it into the camcorder.

Now I saw better.

I walked through some sand and dirt, finding a pathway to the inside held up by pillars. It was a hallway with a double set of doors on the end. Through the little opening in between was some white light seeping out. I tried to connect it to the bright lights I was hit with earlier but it still didn't make no sense. All I had were some half assed theories, needless paranoia and conspiracies. Thinking about them wasn't going to help me find Lynn. Only chanting was discernible. What are they doing in there?

Fortunately, there were some other doors to my left and right that looked like an opportunity, I tried the left one, finding it jammed. The right one was left ajar, and I slowly pushed it open, coming across another pathway. To my right was another paper with some writing. I curiously picked it up, rummaging through its contents.

It was another chapter of this Sullivan Knoth's Gospel, this time mentioning someone named Val. They apparently betrayed him and Temple Gate, then joined a group named "Heretics?" I wasn't sure. I snapped a picture and went back down into my photos gallery. The only unchecked photo was the one I took a picture of when the white light hit. Oh yeah, I had completely forgot about that. I opened it up, beginning my read.

 _My Love_

 _Please try to be as strong as you can. Papa tells us at ever service that God remembers our sins in our dreams. And we gotta face our sins if we wanna get right with God. If the visions are gettin' worse, and the dreams are in our waking eyes, it just means that the tribulations are getting closer and that'll be hard but there's a paradise on the other side. God loves us, and don't never give us more than we can handle._

 _Yours as Always_

 _Philip_

Another psycho letter I couldn't make sense of. Moving on. But I wonder if the guy on the speaker is the Sullivan Knoth I've been encountering in every letter. He seems to be reminding them something.

To my left were torches set to light up the place, and the picture of the same overweight guy that I thought was a photo from before. I'll bet the rest of my purity that this is him. Knoth. Nice to know that he is a fatass.

I opened the deadbolts of a type of door that you'd see in a castle. Stepping to my left, there was a staircase I needed to descend from in order to proceed. Once I was down, I was met with crosses on the walls which really resembled medieval castle walls. Holy fuck. This just might be the most hardcore cult I've seen so far. They seemed truly dedicated to their made up religion, and they were brainwashed to the point where they just seemed broken. Knoth was probably the person responsible for this. Seeing as the rest of them practically worship him and "God."

"Give me everything you own. Give me your life. Give me children. Give me their lives. I'll save you."

I turned towards the direction of the voice, distracted by some writing on the wall beforehand. The person speaking seemed to be in a cage area with multiple tight cages stacked into a room. Were they keeping prisoners here?

"Only so many bodies can promise the end of the world."

Mildly disturbed, I continued on with my way, finding the door to the cage room to be open.

"Val? Val is that you?"

I decided not to make a sound as that would probably upset them. Instead, I picked up a key sitting on a counter and placed it in my pocket for later use. You never know when a key is useful.

From up the floorboards, I could pick out Knoth's voice and a woman standing above us. I swiftly activated my microphones and listened in.

"Lay bare what she kept hid! Make plain what she would confuse. Make true what's false. Enter my lord, please. I don't know the way, only you to know what you do. Please. I..."

Lynn persisted, making cries of agony that could be heard through the walls. Then after that Knoth screamed with all his might, the crying ending. I wasn't sure if that was Lynn, since her voice was a bit different, but I knew Lynn was up there somewhere.

"You hear Knoth up there? He's doing something nasty with her. The Antichrist is sure to be emerging from her womb."

A few corpses were tied to the support pillars, and a letter was sitting above a grate that led to the sewer system of this place.

"She is ripe with the antichrist. The Enemy waits in her womb!"

This guy was off his fucking meds, I needed to stop whatever his little operation was. I searched around frantically looking for a way out, meeting nothing but more corpses and trapped prisoners. I picked up a battery from the counter, deciding to lean in to pick up the letter I saw in the grate before. I took a picture and reminded myself to read it later. But right now, Lynn was top priority. She couldn't be very far.

I climbed out, spotting an opening between the cages that I could slip through if I crawled. I put my knees on the ground, eyeing the prisoners whom I was crawling right past. They'd decide to grab me and snap my neck and I would be dead.

"Hey! Help me! Please help me!" I fucking called it. One of them gripped my neck and tried to pull me in as I kicked at his hands, forcing him to back up as I crawled through the rest of the opening, scrambling to rise on my feet. What awaited me on the other side was a cell dor that you would expect to see in high security prisons. But unfortunately this one was locked.

I could try the key. I tried to fit it in and twist it to right, the door giving a small click and opening, while I stood there dumbfounded. It actually worked! Nice. I went past, going past a maintenance room before reaching a ladder. Well, I had nowhere else to go, suppose I had to take it. I gripped the wooden bars, beginning my ascend to the top. Lynn, please be alive.

I pushed the hatch upwards, climbing up and setting eyes to a dining table of a sort. Mops and bleach sat on the walls while more bleach sat on the main table. No, I was mistaken. This is a storage room. The ticking clock overhead made me more anxious with each tick, an ominous reminder to how much time I was wasting while my wife was suffering.

Dirty sinks were to my left, and I checked if they were running before progressing forward. They were, but the water tasted like crap. Nope. I don't want to contract any diseases thank you. That'd be the least of my worries, but still something.

The only door in the room was jammed, and I had nowhere else to go but up the stairs. I was beginning to pick up chanting, but not nearly in enough intensity to turn on my mics and waste more battery. Upstairs, a dusty wardrobe and a table lining with some chairs was present. The air had also started to become dry, and I found breathing to be suddenly harder. Just what was I walking into? On the table was another chapter of the gospel, and I didn't waste too much time before taking a picture and ripping it to shreds. Burn the whole thing to the ground, please.

I unlocked a door and flicked it open as the air got even drier. Christ, were they cooking with magma? I paced forward, noticing the blue lighting of another room seep into the hallway. This was getting interesting.

"Get your fucking hands off me!"

LYNN! She was alive! Oh thank fuck. I scrambled to get on my toes and sprinted towards the door where her noise was coming from. Fuck! It was jammed. I tried to bash the door down, but it was a stubborn piece of shit. Move godammit! Knoth's groaning was audible from here, accompanying Lynn's cries for help. Fucker!

"I'll fucking kill you if you lay one more finger on her. Do you understand!?"

No response. Fucking hell. I moved forward, there had to be another way in. From the cracks in the wall, I couldn't make out much. Just some cultists and more chanting. I tried the other door, and it was locked as well. Lynn and Knoth had become strangely silent, and I waited, in the verge of tears. Had he killed her?

Well, I wasn't going to find out just standing. I ran to an open window, hoping it led the area where they were.

"Oh fuck!" I set relieved eyes on Lynn, who had escaped out of a window and had landed on the dirt quite painfully. Oh my god, I actually found her! I jumped from the window without thinking, landing on my feet and rushing towards her to help her get up.

She had landed with a loud thud. I grabbed her in the shoulder, signaling her my presence.

"Oh god Blake." Her tone sounded unpleasant, and I was eager to find out what that bastard did to her.

"Are you okay?"

"No."

"What the fuck?" I simply asked, just dumbfounded by it all. What had Knoth exactly done to her?

"I don't know... Oh shit, we have to run!" I turned my head towards the window she jumped out of, spotting a hooded cultist looking at us.

"Hey! We found the outsider!" They headed back to presumably let Knoth know. Fuck, we had to run. I turned my head back towards Lynn, finding her absent. She was already one step ahead of me, jumping onto a slope and riding it down without effort. I followed her and did the same, my landing a bit more painful. She'd be better at this than me.

"Lynn, where are we going?" I inquired, putting my hand on her shoulder. She stared off into the distance, a hint of anger on her face.

"Away from here. Anywhere but here." She replied with certainty in her voice, holding my hand and dragging me along. We were strolling through a natural pathway, two of us unsure of where we were going.

We reached the end, the path widening a bit this time. I glanced at Lynn, seeing her unsettled made me angry even more. Fuck those guys, I'd pay money to see one of them tortured to death.

"Oh god, my stomach."

Fuck. Now what?

"What is it?"

"Agh, it hurts." She started to slow down, and we stopped for a bit to let her recover.

"Fuck... something's wrong. It hurts." We started to trudge forward again, but she was still slow as a turtle.

"I have to stop. I just... I need... oh god."

I started to panic. Did they do something to her stomach? Would she die if untreated?

"Jesus christ Lynn, what's happening here?"

She was having trouble standing up. It didn't matter, I'd carry her all the way out of this desert if I needed to. She had to live.

"I thought you were dead. When you fell, I thought we were all dead."

The dread in her voice got me worried. Fucking hell, what did I do to deserve this?

"It's okay. I'm here. We're gonna get out of here, okay? What did they do to you?"

"I can't talk about it..."

"Please Lynn just tell me what happened!"

I pushed her with my hand, immediately regretting my decision. Fuck you Blake, what did you do?"

"Please Blake, don't ask me..."

 _"This evening, after all these years, after all this suffering, our faith has been proven."_

The sick fucker was talking again. No way he was catching us now. Nuh uh. I stood up, motioning her to do the same.

"They're coming!" She mentioned in agony, barely standing up and managing to walk. Her state didn't seem too good. I was going to have to treat her when we found some shelter.

 _"The woman who came to Temple Gate from the outside world brought with her the foul burden we've been awaiting all this time."_

We were speeding up, Lynn was slowly recovering from her injury. Good. We hopped through a fallen tree as Knoth continued his ramblings.

 _"She has a child in her belly. I performed the examination myself, and it is empirically true."_

That's a nice way of spelling empirically false. Silly Knoth... Bunch of lunatics.

"He's insane. They're all fucking insane."

She mentioned, nodding back when I nodded to her true words. I didn't know how far we were from Knoth, but I liked to imagine we had lost them.

 _"Find them, children. Kill them. Soak the earth with their blood!"_

Fuck! He was commanding everyone under his command to kill us. We need to hurry. As much as I loved Lynn, she was being a liability right now. They say love makes people stupid, and I agree. But I just love Lynn too much to let her go. I gripped her hand tighter, we were now traveling through some sort of shallow waterway.

 _"Rip the devil from her belly, and crush it beneath your boot heels!"_

Flashlights turned on in front of us, revealing a few figures hidden behind the rocks. I immediately got Lynn behind my back, I was ready to protect her from whatever these psychos tried to do. Fuck, I could really use that pitchfork right now.

"God wants the child. God wants the child."

"Oh god. STAY BACK!" Lynn yelled out, trying to scare them off. She wandered away from me, and I let her be as I was too busy concentrated on the cultist in front of me.

"We'll be gentle." One of them reassured. But I still really fucking regretted not taking that pitchfork from the shed. Stupid, Blake.

"I swear to fucking christ, the first person who touches me loses their eyes!"

She backed away, unaware that another one was going to ambush her from the side. Footsteps appeared behind me, and I turned too late as a cultist thrust a punch into my nose, sending me tumbling onto the ground.

"No, NO!" Oh shit Lynn! LYNN! They pinned me to the ground along with Lynn, keeping me in place while they did something horrible to her.

"God wants the child. God wants the child."

"Get the fuck off me! LYNN! LYNN! Get off... Get the fuck- OFF! No! No no no no! LYNN! Motherfuckers! Fuck you!"

They were undressing her! I tried to thrash out of their grip in a raged frenzy, her screams were reaching throat shattering levels. What the fuck are you doing with my wife! LET GO! LET...

"AAAAGGHHHHHHH!"

"Heretics."

Their holds loosened as distinct figures glanced past the view of the flashlight, the cultists pinning me down were subdued, and the others dropped to the ground like flies with each thwack that splint the air. This was my chance to run for it. My knees effortlessly heaved me up to my footing and towards Lynn, I extended my hand towards her face, but a firm grip snared me by the throat and knocked me backwards, down again. They were doing something with her! Her pants were unzipped and about to be removed, I fought and struggled against them, but was too weak. Come on!

The final cultist sheathed his machete from his waist and stared at Lynn with a sly expression, I screamed and felt my nerves pulse with the sensation. I was on the verge of tears, he was going to kill her! My legs thrashed back and forth, but were proved futile. I closed my eyes and waited for the impact, that moment where she would join death. It was all happening too fast.

But it never came. Instead, he broke his entire demeanor and whirled around towards... They looked to be about eight feet tall, almost the same as that woman I encountered earlier. He was too late to react, the figure gripped him by the temples of his head and squeezed their fingers into his eyes. His thrashing screech practically impaled through dry air, he was standing for only a few seconds before he slumped onto the ground. The only thing I could see was what their flashlight was focusing on, it was too dark. I struggled again, something inside me boiling with rage and urging me to reach her.

"I watched my father fuck your god to death."

They spoke, drawing their words out in an attempt to sound more intimidating. And they damn sure succeeded. They crouched alongside Lynn, licking her from her waist all the way to her forehead. I could see that she was passed out, but didn't know from what. I struggled one last time, trying to get these fuckers dirty hands off me.

"Take her home. I want to share my love with the father."

Oh fuck, they were another ally of Knoth. Motherfucker!

They walked over to me, and I felt a surge of fear travel through me as their tall body stood near. They lowered their upper body into my face, making sounds that I could only match up to lustful sex.

"God doesn't love you. Not like I do."

My heart was trembling uncontrollably. My jaw locked tight, teeth gritted together so much that my skull ached. I dug my fingertips into the fiber of my coat with every inch of my strength, waiting in anticipation for the impact as they extended their tongue towards my face, trailing it along my forehead and leaving a wet patch in its place. Only our moans were audible sounds, one composed of disgust and the other made up of hungry sex. They pulled out to rest, but not for a long while before wiping their tongue across my cheek, leaving the skin exposed to their spit.

"Fuck you!" I managed to blurt out among the chaos, hoping it would amount to something.

"Yes, my love? Oh, we have mother." They said, kneeling up.

"I think I'll see you again."

My breath hitched as I hauled myself up, determined to get Lynn back. I ran forward with all the anger I could muster, my wife and her captors my sole focus. HEY! COME BACK YOU FUCKERS!

I had almost thought I could see that thing with Lynn on their back trudging away from me, but a hard blow to the side of my chin sent me toppling sideways to the ground with a thud. My vision faltered as I turned my head to locate the source, it was one of them, he stared me down with what seemed like forceful eyes, the rest of his faces was obscured by mud. I tried to gurgle something out of my mouth, but he whipped away and caught up with the rest of his filthy kind before I could say anything.

Silence overtook the area, only my silent weeps and the moist blood oozing out of the dead cultists on the ground making a change in the scenery.

I laid there in agony, too powerless to even get up. Lynn, shit. I managed to fucking lose her again. How dumb can I be? I should've taken that pitchfork. Maybe it would have helped. I let out a tear in this place for the first time, defeated again by broken men. Lynn. Be safe, please. I'm sorry baby, I fucked up. I don't know what I was thinking, I should've made better decisions, I should've been a better husband. This is all my fault, please forgive me.

I'm coming for you.


	4. Past Us

The area was completely silent except for the distant rumbling of the speakers Knoth was talking his bullshit out of. Oh shit, Lynn. Where the fuck did they take her, back to the church? But then why did they kill each other? I don't know what the fuck is going on anymore. I just want to take my wife and go home. I was trapped in an adventure I wasn't qualified for, and the job interviewers were them.

Loopy, I managed to rise to my feet somehow, stumbling back a bit from the punch one of them gave me. My head had taken a lot of beating in the past few hours, I had to visit a hospital after this.

I walked over to the boulder where Lynn was lying down near on, flipping the cultist up to see what damage had been done to his eyes. They were utterly maimed and fresh blood was seeping out of them into his cheeks. I turned my head away in disgust and tried to piece together what had just happened.

One of them called them "Heretics," just before they got attacked. I opened the photo of the document where they were mentioned in and read it again. The name Val coincided with Heretics, and they had something to with him/her. My mind reflected back to the prison room where one of them thought I was Val, and promptly connected the 2 dots together:

The gospel letter talked about devil entering Val's soul, and turning him/her against Knoth and Temple Gate, signifying that they were enemies. Then it mentioned Val joining the Heretics, which I assume were the mud covered people that the tall muscular woman was with. Then that must mean... Val was the one who licked me and kidnapped Lynn?

So there were two sides. Knoth and Temple Gate, and the Heretics. I assume me and Lynn were caught in a confrontation between them, and were innocent bystanders they were fighting over. I assume Knoth wanted to kill the supposed baby Lynn was pregnant with, but the Heretics wanted to do... something else with it. But I still couldn't figure out why the Antichrist was so dangerous.

Flashlights suddenly turned on from the direction we had escaped from prior to the ambush, and countryside accent-ish speech became audible. Fuck, Knoth's men were catching up. I reached for my camera to get a better look, only to find the pouch where I kept it to be empty. WHAT? Oh, fuck no. I frantically began to check every pocket my outfit held, trying to locate where I put the damned thing. They were drawing near, and it was clear that my camera wasn't on me. It had to be on the ground, hopefully not in the water though. But I couldn't see a fucking thing without my camera, I knew I should've bought the white version.

My lamp! I snagged the sneaky bastard, running around the place and holding it down towards the ground to locate my camcorder. One of their flashlights shined in my direction, letting me know that I needed to hurry.

"Hey, the outsider!"

Fuck! There it was! I dashed over to it, quickly snatching it up from the ground and turning tail towards the opposite way. I began to pace my breaths, evening my strides with each step and trying to maintain my endurance. I glanced behind, seeing one of them right on top of me. He was quickly catching up, not in the least bit looking exhausted. His hand was occupied with a bloody machete, looking like it was clearly the cause of some brutal murderings this fucker had done.

I had to do something quickly, or else he was gonna knock me over to the ground and stab me to death. Quick Blake, think!

Twisting behind for a brief second, I hurled my lamp towards him at full speed, catching him in the head and cracking it apart. He promptly plunged into the ground, his body going limp. Yes, I fucking got you!

The rest were catching up though, and I had nothing left to defend myself with. I twisted right back around, continuing my gracious sprint away from them. I was glancing behind every few seconds, checking to see if they were catching up.

After a quarter of a mile of running, I began to pick out a few houses above a medium sized pond. Docks with small sailing ships were situated near the residents' houses. I couldn't keep up the chase in the water, I wasn't known for being a fast swimmer. Instead, I submerged myself under the water, hoping they wouldn't notice me. If they did, I'd just try fighting and go out with honor. I simply wasn't getting away from them this way.

I began to swim away slowly while under the water, hoping to gain a head start if they noticed me. Their flashlights were visible from here, they waved them back and forth, looking for me. One of them even thought to point his flashlight underwater, but swiftly pulled it back up when he realized it wasn't gonna work.

They were still searching, but I couldn't hold my breath much longer. I swam under the floorboards of the dock, pulling my head out ever so slightly to breathe in before quickly diving back down. Come on, just turn back. After a few more seconds, they finally gave up and returned back, glancing back a few more times to make sure I wasn't immediately pulling my head out.

Well after they were gone, I furiously pulled my head out, breathing in and out heavily to recover my brain functions. Oh man, I must've lost a few pounds by now surely. Shaking my head to get rid of the water stuck in my hair, I swam up the shore, setting eyes on an open window. Shelter. I slowly hopped in, making sure no one was inside. I was merely passing by to sneak through in case anybody still lived here. I glanced at the bed, spotting 2 child dolls on the bed, leaning against the wall. Sick fuckers. I swear, if one psych ward rounded up all of these guys, they'd be able to make some serious money out of them. It would be the only good thing they'd be for.

I opened a window on the opposite side of the I entered from, hopping out and crouching, hoping to blend in with the tall grass. I wasn't even sure if anybody was even here, but I couldn't afford to be careless.

I turned on my NV, spotting a burned out campfire and some cigarettes lying on a board. I decided to head towards the right, spotting a cultist walking along the docks, a flashlight in his hand. Oh, fuck! I leaped back, swearing to myself. What mess had I gotten myself in? It's like the residents were on a town-wide manhunt to kill me. Not surprising considering that I took Lynn away, the person they wanted. Knoth probably placed the target on me just to get me out of the way. I wasn't gonna let them capture Lynn. Although the Heretics were already taking care of that. I needed to find out where they took her. But I didn't even know where I would be able to gather information on their whereabouts unless I captured a Heretic and made them talk in some way, although I seriously doubted I would be able to do that. Unless Knoth's men did it for me.

Nope, I couldn't see myself achieving that plan. I wasn't in a movie. I shrugged, peeking back out to see what the cultist what doing now. He seemed to be unaware of my presence, he was just wandering around with a flashlight for the hell of it. That was good news. I walked along the opposite side of the dock, hoping he didn't abruptly point his flashlight towards me. I took a left when the floorboards of the dock disappeared from under my legs and got replaced with the sand. There was a door entrance to a house on my right along the path, but I wanted to see what was at the end of the pathway.

Dead end, unless you were a fish. Just some farming equipment crammed in a barrel. I rattled the doorknob of the door I just saw, giving it a gentle push as I gained access to the building.

I quietly shut it behind me, turning around and getting bombarded by the bright light that knocked me on my ass once again. After the flash ended, I slowly opened my eyes back, setting sight to a whole different area. Darkness. What the...

I swiftly grabbed my camera and turned on the NV, setting eyes to some sort of unoccupied classroom. Chairs were rolled over on the student desks, and the whole area reeked of fresh bleach stains everywhere. I put up my collar, hoping to avoid some unknown poisoning I that I wasn't aware of. I slowly began to walk around, my footsteps echoing back several times to my ears. Where the fuck am I? How did that flash of white light transport me here?

No, I must be dreaming. Maybe that light messed with my mind or something. There was no way that a modern classroom was behind a worn down wooden door of a hillbilly housing building. I'm hallucinating, or out of my fucking mind. Fuck this.

Cabinets filled with folders were sitting against the reflective white walls, and a teacher's desk sat opposite of the student desks. Just like a normal classroom. I touched the walls, feeling the wetness of the bleach infect my hands. These walls were recently cleaned, definitely. On the writing boards were music notes scrawled with a white chalk.

I noticed a door leading into another classroom, and a poster beside it saying "Repent!" with the picture of Jesus holding a miniature cross up in the air. Paying little attention to it, I unshutted the door leading out of this classroom, being met with a stronger wave of bleach stenches. My god, who cleaned this place? I seemed to be in music class now.

There was another door leading into some sort of brightly lit area, and to my left was another writing board with some words on it. The person who wrote it had good handwriting, that was for sure.

 _I'm sorry I have to do this._

 _You should have loved me._

 _You should have helped me._

 _Jesus forgive me,_

 _I don't know what to do._

 _I'm so sorry._

 _Jessica_

What the fuck? Jessica? But she's dead... Who would...

 **Recorded**

I recorded the words on the board, making sure to present them to the public later. I didn't know how I had gotten here, but my camera would. I walked over to the teacher's desk, picking up a picture with 3 kids posing for the camera. The camera which took the picture seemed old, the picture was half black and white and had random white dots placed on it.

Jessica, and Lynn? And me between them. I remember posing for this picture. My eyes wandered to a model of Jesus hanged on a cross, and I had a morbid realization to where my whereabouts were right now.

I'm back in my Catholic school. You shitting me? Here I thought this day couldn't get any worse.

On the table stood a scissor, some tissue paper in a box and some student assignments crammed in a single folder. I needed to get the hell out of here. I ran to the other doors, swinging it backward and gaining passage to the hallways. To my left was a locked door with no doorknobs. To my right was a few signs hanged on the ceiling listing various terms. The one closest to me said "Responsibility."

Wait, is that a guy? He stood in front of the exit, facing me and watching my every move. I felt unsettled, slowing my steps towards him. Who was that? I zoomed in with my camera, still not picking out any of his facial features. He looked skinny and seemed to be a few inches shorter than my height. But his overall presence just gave me a bad vibe. Blue lockers were all around us, and every one of them seemed to be vacated.

A few more signs passed by overhead as I got closer, my nervousness rising with every second. Fuck me. a clock stationed on a wall let me know it was 10:30 PM, making me even more agitated. Why the fuck does it have to be night every creepy place I go?

He abruptly stopped his silent attitude, sprinting at me with all his might as he blinked in and out of existence. I felt adrenaline rush throughout my body before I put my arms up in defense, flying all the way back to the end of the hallway, nearly slamming into the double doors.

I felt like I was in some sort of acid trip. In fact, this whole thing felt like one long acid trip, and my friends would wake me up in my college dorm in a few moments, and I'd forget this little trip forever. God, I hope so. I checked what injuries I had; My whole body felt like it was on fire. I was most likely internally bleeding, but the adrenaline was in enough dosage to keep me going.

My bruised and battered body. It felt like getting run over by a truck. What the hell? I silently began to weep, my miserable state finally getting to me. Lynn. Jessica. I lost them both, and now I was paying the price.

I stood up, gritting my teeth in anger. Who was responsible for this madness? This... This...

"Why the fuck am I here? Just let me off the hook for a few seconds, please. I just want Lynn to be safe. I don't want to be here anymore, send me back!" No response, as I expected.

More footsteps began to emerge in from the doors strewn around the hallway, getting closer the more I waited here. I needed to get out. Nobody was blocking the exit now. I ran with every ounce of my strength at the exit doors, kicking them open and saying sayonara to this awful school. Don't remind me of her, please.

The cold breeze began to wash over me as I dug my boots in the thick snow, struggling to walk. I remember now, this was around the time where Jessica's corpse was found. It was snowing outside. And I remember seeing a bloody snow trail appearing behind her as doctors carried her to the ambulance.

It was eerily dark outside, and I had to resort to my NV once again. I could see faint signs of brick walls; I still wasn't completely out of here yet. I set my eyes on the exit doors, trying to get as far away from them as possible. The air was starting to become colder, and I put my hoodie up to protect my ears from the cold. Come on, I need to go back to Lynn.

 ** _He's coming, Blake._**

I'm sorry Jessica, I can't help you right now. My wife needs me. Lynn needs me. I need to go back to Temple Gate. Even though there are people wanting to rip my guts out there, Lynn is suffering worse. Who knows what they are doing to her.

I reached the metal fences that separated the school from the outside world, eager to get out. Just had to pry this gate open. I struggled with the chain lock for a second, seeing as I had not been here for like 20 years, you tend to forget. I swiftly ripped the lock from its gate, swinging it open and stepping through to the outside.

The ground began to crackle beneath right as my foot stepped outside the gate, collapsing under me and sending me plummeting towards... something. I hit my head on something solid and sharp, giving me a swift concussion right before I tumbled onto the rough sand.

Sand? I touched the ground with my hand to make sure I was back. Yep, I was back in the desert. I didn't know what prompted my brain to send me back, but it worked.

My vision was blurry, and I thought it was from my massive pain-inducing concussion before I realized my glasses had flown away. I quickly reached for them and put them back on, examining the sky above. The stars looked especially more beautiful this evening. I didn't know if it was from the concussion or my generally shitty day, but I admired the sight. Might be the last pretty thing I will see in my life.

I was planning on laying down until my concussion healed, but a figure appeared in my view, forcing my body to pump adrenaline again. Oh fuck, I was totally defenseless and injured. He could kill me if he wanted. I quickly did whatever my body allowed me to, which just amounted to putting my arms up in the defense.

Instead, he just stared at me, examining my face and body. Why wasn't he attacking like the rest of this hellhole of a desert?

"You're him, ain't you? The Outsider."

He crossed his hands and fiddled with them. His tone sounded friendly, but he looked and dressed just like them.

"I apparently am,"

I replied, rubbing my forehead to ease the headache.

"Knoth's eye, they slit your tongue didn't they?"

What? I cleared my throat, making sure that I didn't seem like I was mumbling.

"No. Not yet. Is that a thing they do?"

I extended my hand towards him, signaling him to help me up.

"Well, they'll do it if they find you out here. Come on."

He pulled me up with ease, helping me balance myself after I was up. Was this person actually friendly? If they were, I finally had hopes of rescuing Lynn again. Two people are better than one.

"Who are you?" I asked as soon as I was up.

"My name's Ethan." He turned back and motioned me to follow wherever he was taking me. I complied, not wanting to anger him in case he turned out to be crazy too.

"I mean, are you one of them? And which side are you on?" He didn't seem like the type of person who'd be with the Heretics, but he also didn't seem crazy enough to be with Knoth either.

"You mean why I ain't trying to kill you?"

"Yeah... that. Every person I have encountered so far has been hostile. But you aren't. Are you like an outcast?"

"I been... Unborn. Seen too much to keep the faith." He replied nonchalantly, continuing his pace along the path.

"But you aren't one of those other ones, the Heretics."

"Didn't say squat when my wife got scalled. Had to get cast out."

"Cast out? They literally murder every person who isn't a part of their bloodthirsty cult. Why did they let you off the hook?" I stumbled a bit before straightening myself, letting Ethan continue.

"Didn't complain when Knoth... pressed himself on my Anna Lee, and she not but fifteen!"

"I'm sorry." We began to head into a small area of lit houses. I began to get nervous, but Ethan knew what he was doing. I hope. Unless it was a trap.

"But when he said my grandson. The baby he'd put in her, was might the Antichrist and I had to slit her belly and kill the child!" This guy seemed to have gone through a lot hardships. I felt truly sorry. It seemed that me and Lynn weren't the only victims.

We walked for a bit, passing by houses and lit campfires. I needed to ask him something before it was too late.

"I, uh... just came out of some sort of hallucination. I was back in my school and saw the writing of my dead childhood friend, I strolled for a bit there before the ground suddenly collapsed under me and I ended up in the position you found me in. Know anything about that?"

He shook his head sideways, signaling me to follow.

"I saw you hit the ground. You were standing on an unstable cliff before it collapsed on you. That right there is all I know."

"T-Thanks..."

I wasn't standing on a cliff though. I was on solid ground. Did that mean I was walking around in the real world through all of that?

He was waiting for me in the small staircase up to his house. I quickly caught up and let him know he could continue.

"I gave her chance to run. Spun them idiots some stories. I been gifted with talk my whole life, you probably noticed." In the campfire light, I could see that his face was covered with dirt and had a couple small cuts on it. I wonder who put them there on his face.

"Blake." He stopped in his tracks, turning to me with a raised eyebrow.

"Sorry?"

"My name's Blake." He nodded and climbed up the stairs, opening the front door to his house. I followed right behind him, eager to know if he had some things that I could use to aid in my survival. I shut the door behind me, turning back to see him swallowing a pill.

"What are those?" I inquired, pointing at the bowl full of pills.

"Those? Just my method to keep the head straight." Okay, I didn't really know what that meant. I held off on any more questions. He was already bothered enough.

Towards my right was a single bed, presumably Ethan slept in. A fridge and parcels full of fruits and vegetables stood beside that. Pans and pots were hanging on the walls, meat stains on their surfaces. Support structures stood around the house to keep it afloat, and below the floorboards was some sort of root cellar area.

"Head down into the root cellar. I got a bed down there." He informed, pulling the hatch into the tight space, motioning me to go inside.

"Are you sure it's safe down there? I could be discovered." I asked as I jumped down.

"It's all right, you just relax there. I'll keep you safe." He shut the hatch behind me with a loud thud, kneeling down to see where I was.

"You rest up and heal. Ethan's gonna treat you right."

He stood back up, walking out of the house and leaving me alone.

Nice, I had a place to stay finally. Ethan seemed like a nice enough guy, it seemed like he just lived off the grid and happened to live in the area of the cult. My headache was also getting better. He said there was a bed down here, but I needed to do some scavenging first. I pushed the hatch back up, climbing out and going towards the fruit parcels to eat some. Let's see... apples, corn, bread and some raw meat. Corn, no discussion. I picked one up and began munching it up until all that remained were the unedible parts. I'm sure Ethan wouldn't mind if he found out. He'd understand that I was just hungry. Also, it wasn't like I was gonna eat it all. Just some. He had to be harvesting these from somewhere too.

I downed a few corns before moving onto the bread and the apples. I still felt bad about eating it all, but I needed to keep my energy up. After a few minutes of food consumption, I began to check the rest of the house for anything useful.

There were 2 rolls of bandages, nice. I quickly picked them up in case I received a knife wound or something. There were no batteries sadly, and I just had one more to keep the camera going. I didn't know where the other one went. Probably dropped it.

Nothing. I checked the kitchen counters, finding a dirty machete among the frying pans. That's what I'm talking about! I snatched it into my hands and swung it a couple of times, trying to get the feel for it. It wasn't gonna save me in a ranged encounter, but I might manage to kill someone in melee if they got too close. But I wasn't gonna try to attack them unless provoked. They usually traveled in packs and were batshit crazy. I was alone, sane and cautious. No way I would come out unscathed. Lynn needed me alive.

I put it on the side of my waist, pushing the hatch back up and going back down into the root cellar. There wasn't a trash can around, so the food leftovers were gonna have to stay on the table. I crouched and passed some truck wheels and leftover car equipment before crossing paths with the bed. I slowly spread my body around as I laid down, putting my glasses on the side of the mattress. I tightened my grip on the pillow, closing my eyes and beginning to fall asleep. The misty odor settled into my senses as I groaned, picking up the faint scent of something burning, specifically biomatter. Churning against the fire, cooking to a crisp. I let the mental images slide as I slipped into my dreams, the static now only a needless distraction in the way between me and my wife. How do I escape it?

 **Please Blake.**

 **Where are you?**

 **I'm scared.**

 **He's coming.**

 **AH! GET AWAY! HE'S HERE! GET AWAY FAST! AAHH! AAAAHHHHH!**

I jolted out of my deep slumber, breathing in and out heavily to remember what I was hearing. Jessica was calling out to me? What was she trying to tell me?

"I ain't hiding nothing." Ethan. I quickly put my glasses on, standing up on my feet and beginning to crawl to the hatch to see who he was talking to.

"Righteousness cannot pass in blood by loins, but the blood of your heart." I stopped dead in my tracks, seeing the pickaxe woman through the cracks of the floorboard. Oh fuck, she was back. She was looking at Ethan and pointing her finger towards the food I ate prior to sleeping.

"I kenn Papa's gospel. I copied 'em a hunnert times. If I knew who ate these goods..."

"The prophet don't need your help finding the devil's whore and her rut-mate. Knoth questions even know other Heretics at chapel. God'll guide him."

"I ate these- AH!"

Her motionless composure was abruptly broken as she grasped her weapon of murder and swung it around the room unrestrained, splitting the table in two. My leftovers flew around the house, one even managing to slip through the cracks and land beside me.

Anger in her tone, she picked an eaten corn piece up from the ground and showed it to Ethan while pinning him against one of those support structures.

"You were out on a mission while these gifts of the prophet were being consumed, the only one who did could be the outsider!" She thrust the handle of her pickaxe towards his neck, making his feet leave contact with the floor and still float.

"Wait, please. PLEASE! I can explain!" He frantically blurted out while trying to struggle out of her hold.

"You know where the outsider is..."

Ethan let out a few yelps of crying and agony as he struggled even more, flailing his legs around wildly in a desperate attempt to escape.

"His seed begat the enemy. God and the prophet both want his blood."

"-Just let me talk to Knoth, I can explain!" She let Ethan go, positioning the tip of her pickaxe towards him, who was still recovering from the chokehold.

"God don't hear dead men." With seemingly all of her strength, she thrust her pickaxe towards Ethan, impaling him in the stomach and dragging him up the structural support.

"Be still!" At that moment, I think me and Ethan made eye contact. He stared at me in fear between the cracks, and I did an expression of "I'm sorry." to him. Fuck!

The brief eye contact didn't last long. She promptly tossed Ethan away, landing him near the root cellar hatch. I crawled towards his position to get a better look. He was making gurgling sounds as she slowly approached him, readying her pickaxe strike once more.

"Take your penance! God loves you. God loves you." She placed her pickaxe behind her as Ethan tried to crawl away to the root cellar hatch in one last desperate attempt to save himself. But it was to no avail. The pickaxe wielding maniac thrust her pickaxe into him one last time, impaling him in the ribs. She struggled a bit to pull it off of him, her breathing hinting towards anger. Ethan flopped on the ground one last time as she managed to unlodge her pickaxe from him and making her quiet leave.

"Catamite to the devil." She busted open the front door with one swing, hunching a bit to get through. The house fell completely silent except for my silent swearing.

OH FUCK! I quickly crawled the rest of the way towards the hatch and creaked it open, not bothering to shut it behind me. Fuck me. Fuck my decision. Fuck everything about to me. He was lying dead on the ground with his blood, multiple pickaxe wounds on his body. His mouth was agape, and his eyes fell back on his head.

I did this to him. If I hadn't eaten all those things, she wouldn't suspect Ethan being with me. He didn't rat me out. Even though I basically caused his death. You didn't give me up to her. Even though I... thank you.

 **Recording**

"That... woman? Whatever she is, beat him to death. Something about finding Lynn. Something about a chapel." She mentioned Knoth interrogating the Heretics at their chapel. Maybe my plan from before could work. One of the Heretics might know where they took Lynn to.

Okay, I was relieved that my next objective was clear. Find the chapel.


	5. Closer Bonds

"I ate your food stocks, Ethan. I made your bed. I'm the cause of your death... I'm truly sorry. I am. But, thank you for not telling her my location. I wouldn't be here if you did. We both wouldn't be here. You did the smart thing for both of us." I took a deep breath, continuing my speech.

"I promise that I will... avenge your death. Somehow. Your death will not be in vain. It isn't anyway. She told me where they knew my wife's location was. I can go find her because of you. You saved two lives." I crouched, closing his eyes.

"Thank you." I paid my respect one last time before leaving him be, sighing in distress. Fuck. Back to it again. Where the hell am I going to find the chapel? I didn't even know that such a building existed until now. It was probably in the main part of Temple Gate. In the capital, if you will. But that meant more psychos after me. There would be followers in every corner, and I surely wouldn't be able to evade them all. My luck would eventually run out. But it was the only place where I could learn her location...

No. I needed to go there. Lynn needs me. I simply have to keep light on my feet, be hyperaware of my surroundings, and make the best of use of this machete I got here. It was muddy and filled with food stains, but it was sharp enough to give somebody an injury.

Okay. You got this Blake.

Before that, my eyes set on a letter near Ethan's bed. The handwriting was clean and the paper it was on didn't seem too damaged. I began to read through it, eager to know what it contained.

 _Paul_

 _You got to tell Papa that Anna Lee was sick and that's the truth. She's gone to live with her Mama and the rest of the Scalled. She was horrible afflicted and her injuries too doleful for examination and I just sent her off because it was all I could do. You got to know I wouldn't have done it if there was any other choice because I loved that girl more than my life or anything else and I don't know why Papa Knoth would think I was lying but you got to convince him of the truth. God love you._

 _Your cousin,_

 _Ethan_

So Ethan had a cousin? This must be what the story he spun them was. Who were even the Scalled? Too many fucking questions, too little answers for them. Ugh. I took a picture and put it down.

Leaving the house, I strolled down the brief staircase, setting eyes on his campfire that had a barrel underneath. Maybe that's where he cooked his meat. Whatever, I wasn't concerned with what he used to do, he was dead. Time to move on. I looked around the immediate area to make sure the woman was gone, you never know. She might be around the next corner, waiting for me to emerge.

The lamp to my right was swaying back and forth, and I didn't know the reason for why it was. She couldn't have made that, it was too quiet. Maybe the wind?

I shrugged it off, pacing towards the open gate that was the ticket out of here. Walking down a brief path, a disassembled wooden boat was stood beside the river I was walking near. The winds were starting to pick up with Ethan's death, and every lamp in the vicinity was swaying back and forth like the other one. I put my hoodie up to protect myself from the cold wind, not wanting to feel more stressed out than I already did.

Thereafter of a few moments of pacing alongside the river, to my right stood a gate compromised of wooden beams. It was locked with a steel lock, and it was locked tight. I tried to rip it off, but the damn thing wouldn't move an inch.

Sighing, I returned back to my original location, going towards a wooden dock with a working wooden boat halfway in the water. I could push it off and get it going, but it was too much effort for minimal payoff. Instead, I walked towards the end of the dock, picking up a battery for my camcorder placed on a bench. Finally, my current one was running out. I was too frugal to replace it with one battery left, so I was waiting until I found another one.

I kept along the tight shores of the river to make it over, not eager in the slightest to get my clothes wet. The last I needed was to get soaked.

Coming up to the end, I zoomed in towards a person standing near a wooden shack. They were doing random movements with their body, a small book in hand. It wouldn't be too far of a stretch to think they were praying. I accessed my microphones, listening to see what they were saying. She was spouting random religious bullshit like everyone else in this goddamn town except Ethan. Why did the pickaxe maniac have to kill him?

Making a brief swim towards the other side of the river, I climbed up the rocky shore and kept low through the tall grass to prevent her from spotting me. It seemed like I couldn't live without two seconds in this place without somebody breathing down my neck.

I was now right under the wooden floorboards she was standing on, still listening to her through my microphones. She seemed to repeat what she was saying after a couple of minutes everytime, making her seem mindless. She was probably another victim of Knoth. He had to be responsible for this madness. The white flash of light certainly had to do something with him. Maybe it was designed by Knoth to mess with their minds and pray to him endlessly until they died of old age. Typical egomaniac behavior.

"...We are robed in the crimson glory of revelation!"

She suddenly stopped her rambling after noticing me, staring at me like a freak before walking back to the shack. I paid no attention as I swam over to the other side, scrambling to my feet and letting myself cool down until I could continue. Ahead of me was a bridge I could use to get to the other side where the woman stood, that's why I had crossed back over again.

 _"Children! I know you hear the glass breaking. You hear your neighbors' cries."_

Great. This motherfucker again. He was blasting his lies off his speakers all around the town again, spreading propaganda across the desert. The world would really be a better place without him.

 _"Them suffering are not the children of God. Those are Heretics in our midst. Servants of the enemy!"_

I crossed the wide bridge, turning off my microphones to not elevate his voice in my ears even more. The speakers were loud enough. What went wrong in this place?

 _"Lock your doors and bar your windows. Hold your loved ones close to you."_

So it was him telling all of them to barricade their houses. They were all barred shut with wooden planks in my earlier visit through a region of Temple Gate during the time where I had recently crashed.

 _"The enemy's passover is begun."_

Across the bridge, I could see a few corpses mangled to pieces and hanged on a stick with a sign above them saying "Heretic." What the fuck? They considered Heretics their enemy, but they didn't spare any of their violence towards them. I wonder if the fatass preacher could see that he was as bad as his "The Enemy" was.

These deaths will be avenged.

Behind the hanged corpses of a few more supposed Heretics, a cornfield stood out. The stalks were all fully grown and waiting to be harvested, now I knew where Ethan got his corn from. Below the heretic nailed to a stick, a fire was burning below him just like our pilot. The first corpse I ever saw in this fucking place. It was their doing, definitely. They thought he was a heretic, somehow.

There was a pathway between the corn stalks, separated by wire fences. They had barbed wire over them, so I couldn't climb them. Not that I'd want to either, I was just passing by.

 **Recording**

"They flayed them. Nailed them to wood! She was just a kid."

I cut the recording, frowning at that last part. I still couldn't get the little trip I had through my old school out of my head. That couldn't be a hallucination. I felt like I was there. I felt the walls, the smell, the snow and the cold. I felt everything. I was there. It had to some sort of waking dream. It was the only thing that'd explain me walking around during it.

A few crows flew out of a rolling cart, cawing their asses off at me. I was too fucked up in the head to get startled by a couple of crows. Give me something like... penises infused with shit in a bleach filled bucket, then you will get a reaction out of me.

Actually, don't give me that. The crows were eating another mangled heretic corpse inside the cart before they flew away. I would feel sad for the corpse in normal circumstances, but I'm glad his useless body was worth something.

I began to pace through the path between the crops, hoping no one would think to ambush behind me. I had nowhere to go but behind, as the gate in the distance was locked tight with a steel lock. But I still kept on pacing towards it, hoping to find some sort of way around it.

I accessed my camera's photo gallery, coming across a letter that I had forgotten to read when I picked it up at Knoth's church. It just popped into my mind, and I remembered. Might as well read it now.

 _Paul_

 _As you got Papa Knoth's ear I'm asking that you tell him a worrisome story that I hope is only my fears and nothing factual. The chief among his deacons, Val, came to me before sunrise this morning with an offer that was not fully described. Val acted like somebody offering something secret and sexual in nature. But my knowledge of Val and his character, it frightened me terribly and I would not accept any such invitation. Val would not further explain, and told me that "there are places in our hearts Papa Knoth cannot reach" thought truth be told Val seemed more interested in other areas of my body. I asked Val to return this evening once I had a chance to think it over, but it is only so that Knoth may send some men of firm character to secretly witness what I suspect is blasphemy and betrayal and cut it off before any harm is done. I hope Papa can help, as I am dreadfully scared._

 _Ruth_

Val was definitely the betrayer and the woman who licked me in the face. Although I wonder why Ruth called her "him" in his letter.

Rustling stalks began to move about as I stepped in between the fields, prompting me to turn on my mics and point it towards the direction of the movement without missing a beat. The movement started from the middle of the pathway and stopped near the burnt heretics. I could hear someone trying to breathe silently through my camera, maybe he was hiding from me?

No matter. He couldn't reach me. I continued towards the wooden gate, stopping dead in my tracks when a scream arose from... past the gate. I began to pick out growling and something getting dragged through the sand.

"Those who've rebelled against our God shall fall, their infants dashed to pieces all."

Oh, fuck. Her. I crouched and stepped as far away from her as possible, hoping she wouldn't notice me. She was dragging a corpse latched in her pickaxe through the sand, each tug generating a hell of a ruckus.

"Their woman with child shall be ripped up... shall be ripped up."

 **Recording**

"The others seem to avoid her. I haven't seen her conversing with anybody since my first sighting of her back in the woods. The smell of what she burned like coal smoke and frankincense."

She promptly disappeared behind the corn stalks, hopefully gone from my life forever. Hesitantly, I walked towards the gate, rattling the locks. Come on! I knew she was on the other side, but I needed to get through. I didn't want to backtrack.

Sighing, I turned back towards the path I just walked through, the unexpected vibrant glow of a flashlight emerged from the end of the path and into my eyes. I tried to block it with my arm, but several more soon clicked on and got in my eyes somehow.

OH FUCK!

"The outsider!" A pack of cultists stood before me, completely blocking the way where I entered from. Descending on my location once they clocked me, I quickly threw myself to the ground behind a small box, but they knew where I was. I'm doomed! I glanced right, spotting a gap in the fence. Oh god, it's like a fucking miracle. I swiftly dived in and out, scrambling to my feet out of the other side using a bloody corpse as support.

I glanced back to see them crawling after me. Shit! I turned right around and sprinted towards a tower with a speaker implanted in one of its legs. I wonder if it would start speaking.

 _"We must rise to face them. There is no innocence amongst the outsiders in our midst."_

Called it. I turned left, coming up face to face with a cultist. NO! I whirled around like a mad dog, thrusting myself towards the opposite way with all my strength. Another one cut me off at the end of the path, shining his flashlight on my face. It's like they're appearing out of thin air! I directly cut left, disappearing inside the corn stalks. From the outside, it would seem like I was moving calmly through the crops, but in reality, I was shoving every single piece of stalk around in a desperate effort to get away, a few getting stuck in my legs and tripping me up.

I could hear their footsteps behind me as they approached, intent on killing me with all of their passion. Just leave me the fuck alone! The leaves were cutting up my clothing as I rushed past them, and I was certain a few had gotten under my skin. Subsequently, I finally left the crops, clocking in a shed and hauling ass towards it. It didn't hold much. Only a slayed cow and a body of water enclosed in a box. I can hide in that! I glanced back one last time, seeing their flashlights glow between the stalks.

Fuck me. I dived in the small pool, submerging my head under the water to hide. I could hear their conversations about my location, but they didn't seem to know it. Good. Very good. I stayed in the water for a bit before they finally went away, searching for me inside the crops.

I pulled my head out, drawing in a few sharp breaths to get my pace back. Just nuke this whole desert. Drop like a medium sized nuke and make it a radioactive hazard zone for the good of humanity.

I crouched and went into the corn crops they weren't looking in, carefully. I turned on both my NV and microphones. Would consume battery like a hungry bear, but I needed them. I also needed to keep the carved out path in my sight. One of them would surely lead to the exit, and straying too far away from them would result in me getting lost.

 _"Give them the knife, the club, the fist if it's all you got!"_

A glow of a cultist's flashlight suddenly appeared at the end of the path I was following near from. I felt myself shit bricks as I stepped deeper into the corns. He was patrolling the path and occasionally shining his flashlight towards the crops. I just had to get lucky.

 _"God rejoices in the spilling of wicked blood."_

Knoth finally ceased his voice as the speakers cut out, finally leaving me and them in the silence as the hunt for the outsider marched on without breaking a sweat.

They seemed to notice the noise I was generating while moving around, and all packed in the part of the field where I was sneaking under. Fuck! I swear, my profanity was off the fucking charts on this dreadful and terrorizing night.

I came across another shed with the exact same stuff in it, and another tower with speakers implanted on its legs. Where the hell was the exit? I needed a way out of here. I didn't even know where they were anymore. Treading carefully, I stepped out of the field, tiptoeing towards the shed to check out my surroundings from. They were approaching from the pathway behind the giant rolling cart, mainly pointing their source of lights at the corn stalks to somehow manage to find me in this huge fucking cornfield.

I had no other choice but to go back in. I carefully entered the crops again, kneeling a bit higher this time to go faster. I couldn't waste too much time, or they would clock my location sooner or later. If I had to, I would climb out of the barbed wire fences if I needed to. No one was stopping me from rescuing Lynn.

Seriously though, where the fuck was the exit? I was sneaking around this area for a while now. I was getting sick of this constant...

Oh crap. I shit out another pile of bricks as I got on my knees. Another cultist turned on his flashlight, briefly pointing it towards my location before I crouched. I couldn't move. He'd notice the crops moving, surely. Instead, I pulled out my machete and got behind him, approaching him with absolute silence. Come on, just need to stab him in the jugular and he's down.

I was right behind him now. I gripped the machete harder, standing up on my feet and pushing the knife back to build momentum for the stab.

He turned around just as I thrust it forward, managing to put up his arms to protect his face before I dug the machete into his eyeball, nearly managing to reach his brain. I unlodged it back in surprise, staring at him with a dumbfounded expression. He was screaming his ass off in pain, and stared at me with shock before he ran back the way towards his cultist friends, still screaming in pain. I felt bad, but I quickly reminded myself that this guy had probably done worse to somebody else.

"He's this way?" Shit! I needed to run. I twisted around and got out of the corn stalks, sprinting down the path until I reached the fence. Past them were the lit up buildings that housed the brainwashed residents. Nothing different.

Okay, I found the fence. Just need to circle around until I find an exit. Probably could manage it better inside the field. I walked back in, not bothering to crouch this time. Their flashlights became open to sight a second later, searching around without a hint of exhaustion. Me, on the other hand, couldn't handle much more of this. My adrenaline reserves were getting fatigued, and I feared I'd die of starvation if things kept on like this. If I make it home, I need to promise myself to lay in bed for 4 days without getting up. It's the only way I can recover.

A few of them shined their flashlights in my direction, thankfully not spotting me amongst these thick crops. I was still sifting through the corn, still finding it difficult to find my ticket out of here. How hard can it be?

"I see him!" How the... It didn't matter now, they knew my location. I snatched my machete and slashed up the stalks on my way to clear me a path, glancing back every few seconds to know if they were behind me. They didn't seem to catch up, and I could see the faint glint of a wooden ramp high enough for me to climb out of here. YES! Finally! I began to sprint with every ounce of my strength, crossing across a carved out path to another field of corn stalks. I was getting close, and they were nowhere behind me. I shoved the remaining crops out of my way, stepping my muddy boots on another path. Without missing a beat, I hauled my ass towards the ramp, nothing blocking my way to it.

Out of the corn stalks, a cultist suddenly appeared in my path, blocking the way with his bloody cleaver. He wasn't stopping me from getting my freedom. I gripped my machete and swung it towards him, only to hit air as he ducked. He swung his cleaver towards me in retaliation, but it was too late. I had already climbed up the fence and dropped to the other side. I gave a small grunt as I crashed into the rough sand, coughing a few times to get all the sand and leaves out of my airway.

That was way too close. I had barely escaped with my life. I glanced at my camera which was at zero battery, of course. I quickly put the last one in, not giving it too much thought as I just laid on the ground, letting myself off the hook for a couple of minutes to get my stamina together. I glanced back at the corn stalks one last time, giving them a small grin of joy. Fuck you, fucksticks. I'm out.

I stared up at the stars, mesmerized by their beauty. I think barely escaping with my head intact gives everything a beautiful glimmer in my perspective.

Get it together. I can't let myself get distracted. I glanced around to make sure no immediate danger was drawing in before standing up, beginning my trudge towards the only source of light in this area.

Someone began to run up to me, almost prompting me to attack him out of instinct. Instead, he got on his knees once he was close enough and began to plead to me.

"Please, if I... Will you ask your child to spare my family?" His expression gave off stress, and I almost felt bad for the poor guy. But he was brainwashed too, by Knoth. I couldn't trust him.

"Even the Devil must love his father. Please, PLEASE! Beg him for mercy!" Their flashlights past the fence began to sway in our direction. They had most likely heard the guy talking to me, shit!

"Shhh. Shut up." I gripped my machete and held it towards him, signaling him to go away. He quickly got off his knees and ran away to god knows where. I felt empowered, like I was terrorizing them now. The tables felt like they had turned.

The glow of a flashlight from inside the stalks almost pointed in my direction, giving me a slight heart attack. I kept silent as possible in the darkness. Oh fuck. I was nowhere near being the hunter, the difference in numbers just mattered too much. The light of their searchlights began to focus in another direction. Now was my chance. I ran up the brief staircase to the veranda of a house, pacing along the wooden railings. The area was fortunately well lit, so I didn't need my camera.

So much shit was laying around in this town. Massive wheels were randomly in some places, huge metal platings were put across the walls, and random pots filled with antique coins were standing on the ground. It just might be a hidden gem in the eyes of an antique collector.

I turned a small corner, reaching the front door of the house. It was locked as always, and the windows were all barred shut with planks. I was wondering, were they hiding from me, or the Heretics? Hopefully them. Getting my ego inflated is just what I do not need in this place.

Stacks of hay were situated under a shed, and a light resembling the glow of a cultist's flashlight stood in the distance. I couldn't make out if it was them... I needed to keep moving. Mumbling began to become audible as I hid behind a tree, slowly peeking my head out to see the source. It was a guy in his veranda sitting on a chair rolling back and forth. His mind looked at ease, but don't ever judge a book by its cover. He could turn psycho and attack me out of nowhere. But I needed to get past him to reach that gate I needed to push open.

I circled around the area, trying to find a way out. Nothing, except more barrels and rolling carts. I returned back to the tree, examining him still rolling back and forth.

My best bet was to act like one of them. I stood up, got my machete in hand and held it sideways like they did. I began to stroll like I was a kid, beginning to mumble religious phrases I learned from the woman near the river.

"We are robed in the crimson glory of revelation!" I tried to sound like I was really passionate about it, and generally looked around the place like I was searching for the outsider. He stared at me for a second before returning to his gaze towards the full moon. Not breaking character, I reached the gate and gripped the handles with my muddy hands, pushing it open enough that I could squeeze through, and quietly shut it back behind me.

Oh fuck, it actually worked.

I turned on my NV, immediately setting eyes to more junk. I was in some sort of barn. Support pillars were placed around to keep the building afloat, and more stacks of hay were scattered around the place. What did they actually feed here? I still haven't seen a live animal besides birds and insects.

I need to keep going. My next path was probably pushing that box near the broken ladders to get up to the roof, just like before. I managed to take a few steps towards the bıx before being cut off by another cultist flashlight. I instinctively dived out of the way, landing behind some walls and trying to pace my breaths to keep silent. Oh shit! I crouched, going towards a gap to sneak behind him. He was heading towards the direction where I came from, still muttering religious phrases like everyone else. I need another Ethan in my life.

Blankets were set near the box, probably hiding some sort of disgusting gore under them. I glanced at the cultist again, spotting him looking around for a bit before pushing open the sliding gate where I came from. I quickly made my move and tiptoed towards the box, gripping the metal bars with determination before exerting it near the broken ladder.

Okay. Up is safe. I glanced at the cultist one last time, catching a glimpse of him pointing his flashlight towards the blankets. Fuck. I swiftly climbed up the box and then up the ladder, setting my hands on dusty planks of wood.

Pushing the rest of my body up the ledge, I took a moment to recollect myself from the constant tension. If that wall with the gap wasn't there, I didn't think I'd get out of there without one of us dead. More junk was up here, nothing different.

Okay, keep moving. I jumped up to a slight elevation and set my feet directly on fresh blood. Ew, now I was creating bloody footprints. I didn't think I'd ever do that someday. I wasn't going to be normal for a while after this. Neither me or Lynn. We needed a therapist after this.

The air was becoming stale, and I had the suspicion that I was going to stumble upon more body horror soon. The most fucked up shit in the barns. Heh. I managed to squeeze my body through the gap between the wire fence and the stacks of hay, setting my bloody boots on a piece of pot that broke with the weight of my foot. Oh fuck, the air was becoming damper. I wasn't inhaling normal air anymore. More corpses were hanged on the walls, their hands and feet nailed and their dicks cut off. Still, the smell and the damp air wasn't coming out of them.

Candles stood on some counters beside more monster truck wheels, one of them with only its rims. It looked like I could open a gate out of here with by pulling this chain. Trying to figure where this chain was coming from, I noticed that the roof was partially gone. It couldn't protect against rain or snow. The raindrop would enter from the roof, get lucky and slip through the cracks between each floorboard, and manage to reach the first floor... Jesus fucking Christ, I was seriously examining the architecture of a building I was soon going to leave and never return to. Utter waste of time while Lynn suffers more.

I noticed a paper on the table with a candle placed near it. It looked like someone intentionally sat in this specific table in the middle of the room and wrote it. Okay, weird and slightly comical. I picked it up and began to sift through the contents. I also couldn't help but notice that the writing was in red. Written with blood? No, looked too clean and precise. Probably just a red pencil.

 _January 7_

 _Three more were sent today to live among the Scalled, their sores too florid to disguise. They had seven children between them, all of whom Papa Knoth has sent with the others into my foster care. I now have more than forty orphans under my wing, who love me desperately, as only can a child abandoned by the parents they thought were as natural and dependable a fact as the rising sun. And I love them. As I will never have children of my own, and have so much love to give. When God leaves them, too, I will be there with comforts and guidance._

 _What do these dreams mean?_

Who wrote this? It obviously looked out of date, as the cult no longer kept children alive in my limited knowledge. Maybe they were the same orphans I saw back in Satanas Inicima Del, where they burnt the children. It seemed like their policy suddenly changed, but why? And who were the Scalled? They keep randomly showing up on letters. "Their sores too florid in disguise." The writer said. What sort of sores? Knife wounds? And they mentioned "dreams." Waking dreams? I guess I'm not the only one. But why did these dreams occur anyway? Did the white light somehow cause all of them to go crazy? I reflected back when I was sneaking around in a town and then I had to run away. I crossed paths with some cultists just before the white flash hit. It made them all crazy right after, but it didn't affect me. But when it happened the next time in the house, it immediately transported me to the school. Maybe that meant the light somehow induced hallucinations in people? I needed to accept that I simply didn't know. I was gonna need more of these letters to piece together this whole thing. Maybe figuring this whole thing out will help me in the future, you never know.

I took a picture and left it right in the spot it was standing on. Okay, now to pull the chain. I grasped the worn down rope of metal, pulling it downwards with all my strength.

The gate snapped open, and the disgusting pile of corpses tied together by rope and getting held in the air by a chain from the roof invited itself and its horrible rotting stench over to the Langermann residence. Please kindly get the fuck out. The corpse also seemed to be a woman.

As horrible as this stench smelled, it opened my path to a single wooden beam leading out of the barn. The only problem was that I had to balance to get through. Or I fell back to where the patrolling cultist was. Oh no, please don't let this be the end of me. I drew in a sharp breath, reminding myself that I could manage to get past this.

Hesitantly putting my first foot on the beam, I began my battle between my clumsiness and my sense of balance. I spread my arms out to help me balance, fake weeping to let my current situation sink in. I was declared an outsider and was being actively hunted down by a satanic cult, I had severely injured and most likely killed a few people, and I sustained many injuries from both during the helicopter crash and from the cult itself. Not to mention the number of mangled corpses I had been a witness to.

And to think that there was a poor fucker out there who hasn't been chased in a goddamn cornfield yet.

The cultist below me was searching around just under my feet. Fuck my life, just fuck it. If I fell, that was my death. Unless I somehow managed to land on him and break his neck or something.

Quickening my breaths, I managed to reach the end by some miraculous power, eager to jump off and get away from this stress inducing barn.

I began to pick up chains rattling behind me and get closer. I quickly swung my head back but was too late to dodge the incoming bloody corpse as it whacked me in the head, knocking me off the wooden beam and sending me plummeting towards the ground.

"UNGH!" I managed to grunt out as I landed on the hardened sand with a thud, shaping my hands into fists. How the fuck did that manage to get me? Pull yourself together Blake. I stared up at the smug, arrogant corpse just floating above the edge I used to be on before it knocked me over. Even their fucking dead bodies were trying to kill me.

I stared at my hands, seeing bits of orange intestine juice on them mixed with fresh blood. What the FUCK?! I had landed on a pile of human and animal entrails. Groaning in disgust, I pushed myself off the ground and wiped my hands that were covered in blood and pigshit on my parka. Absolute fucking nope.

Well, I was out of the barn, so that was nice. Sighing in exhaustion, I began to evaluate my next possible path. The path continued down a small incline surrounded by cactuses. Normal enough.

I examined my hands again, gagging in repulsion. What exactly was the orange liquid on my hands? I didn't want to know, I just needed to find a source of water and wipe this shit off my hands. I didn't have any napkins with me either, so I couldn't touch my camera very much. I was doomed if it stopped functioning.

I came across a piece of paper on some kind of bible stand just out in the middle of nowhere. A single barrel filled to the brim with blood was the only artificial thing in the vicinity besides the bible stand.

 _Soul of Christ, make me ready,_  
 _Father Knoth, guide my salvation,_  
 _Blood of Christ, let me drink your wine._  
 _By the severed eye, give me vision._  
 _Angel of God, lend me your sword._  
 _Kind Jesus, hear my prayer_  
 _Heal me in your wounds_  
 _Keep me close to you_  
 _Defend me from a wicked world_  
 _And ready me for the Devil's hour_  
 _In the fellowship of Temple Gate_  
 _That I might defend your Creation_  
 _until you give me rest._  
 _Amen._

Well, nothing useful but I actually liked the song. Good job. I snapped a picture of it and put it back down, the image blending into its fellow paper friends in my photo gallery. The fog was also becoming thicker as well, obscuring my normal vision. NV was the only thing that allowed me to see in this area. Pacing up the small elevated path, I began to hear birds chirping from somewhere around here. It sounded like-

The bright flash appeared again, making me almost go deaf as its deathly noise made my microphones go off the charts. Screaming in pain, I accidentally dropped the camera and got knocked on my ass along with all the birds flying above. They dropped to the ground like rocks, going limp almost immediately.

That sound... it sounded like static, but I was hearing it more in my skull than my ears, like in my brain. It oddly resembled malfunctioning machinery, but why? I have no fucking idea. I rose to my feet in agony and picked up my camera, pressing record.

 **Recording**

"A teacher once told me that the music of birds was proof that God exists and loves us." I believed that until today. Where are you Lynn?


	6. Marta

They were everywhere. On the rocks, on the ground, on the roof of a closed bridge. Everywhere. I don't know what caused them to suddenly drop dead in the presence of that bright light, but it happened.

This thing had to be some sort of... something. I couldn't tell if it was science or the act of god, like these psychos talked about. But I couldn't accept that it was. I can't give in to their beliefs, Knoth's beliefs. That's exactly what he wants everyone to think. Preach him and his god. Endlessly.

I was going to get answers, no matter what. I'd prove these maniacs that their god didn't exist. But that seemed like a pipe dream more than anything. How was I gonna change the mind of dozens of cultists already brainwashed all the way to the core of their brains? It just didn't seem possible.

Regardless of what they think, they weren't taking my wife away from me. Once I learned her exact whereabouts, I was going to haul ass until I was able to make physical contact with her. I'd kill them if they stepped in my way.

Talking about stepping, I felt the crackle of hollow bones give in under me as I recoiled away in horror, noticing that I stepped on a dead bird. Fuck. The bridge in my path had a giant gap in what should be normal ground. No way I was jumping over to the other side. Below the gap stood more river water heading downstream, probably towards a pool of body parts. I think I'd be surprised if it didn't lead to something like that.

Well, with my only source of getting across this river gone, my only available choice was to head down this descending path. The dead end accompanied some rocks leading into a cave entrance, if you were physically capable of climbing up ledges. Okay... a cave in this place. I don't think it'll turn out well, but it's literally the only way I can progress towards the main town.

Exhaling in stress, I thrust myself up to the nearest ledge, grabbing it with my intestine juice covered hands and pulling the rest of my body up. I glanced back at the ledge, seeing orange handprints made after me. Well, at least my handprints could guide any future hikers that wandered down this path.

The steep ledge that I needed to shimmy across grinned at me with smugness, almost knowing that I was about to cross through it. Facepalming internally at that thought, I put my bloody heels on what little ground there was, hoping that I wouldn't make a mistake and fall down. It wasn't too far down, but it could give me an injury if I landed the wrong way.

Making it to the other side, I jumped up a slight elevation and promptly came across another gap. Fucking really? I mean, my legs were strong enough to handle jumping that far, but I definitely wouldn't make it with my foot on the ground.

Stop being such a pussy Blake, you've suffered worse. I let in and exhaled a few breaths to pace myself for the jump, gritting my teeth in determination as I leaped off the rocky platform, soaring through the air for a few moments before crashing into the ledge with my ribs.

"Fuck!" I blurted as I pushed myself up, letting myself recover for a few seconds on the ground. My ribs, they fucking hurt. Why did I think that was a good idea? Well, no reversing back time, I got to my feet and continued my progress towards the village.

Jumping up to another ledge, I forced myself upwards, setting eyes on a tiki torch giving the whole place an ancient vibe, despite the fact that it was very new. I leaped up to another ledge and got on top, pulling out my camcorder and activating the NV, suddenly getting the visuals of a few pointy rocks hanging from the ceiling. I hunched a little bit and skid through a slope that enveloped me deeper into the cave. The air was becoming drier and I began to get the faint stenches of human remains. Great. Probably more dead bodies to traumatize me even more.

In front of me stood a small gap, requiring my semi-muscular figure to kneel in order to get through. Oh fuck, I was starting to smell something burning. This can't be good. Don't tell me this is where they keep their burned children.

I crawled through a jumbled mess of small rocks before promptly sliding into another area. Groaning from the pain of my scratched up buttcheeks, A bible stand stood near, and rows of wooden planks and guard railings lead into some sort of a giant statue composed entirely of sticks.

Church? No no... Some kind of Heretic temple. The statue looked just like them, with wings made out of wood on its back, and branches on its head. It was holding something, but I couldn't make out what. So this was their hideout? But I haven't seen a trace of them anywhere. Why did they even have this place so close in proximity to Temple Gate, if they don't want to be found? It looked abandoned, probably just a place they built for some purpose and left it to crumble. That works just fine in my book, but no heretics meant no Lynn.

 **Recording**

"He said she did it to herself. He said he was protecting you."

But I knew that wasn't true. Loutermilch was one heartless bastard. I hope every day that I cross paths with him, just so I can beat him to a pulp. But it never happens. He got off scot-free, and I got off feeling like absolute shit. He ruined it.

Wait. I remember recording the words Jessica wrote back in my waking dream prior to stumbling across Ethan. Oh yeah! I flicked through my video footage list until I found it, opening it up and wondering if it was really real.

Just static, but I remember recording it. I was there! I know I saw it, and my camera did indeed see it, but why static? Does my camera malfunction

"Nothing makes any sense anymore."

My words came back to me a few times in repetition, signaling me that there was really nothing living here anymore. I needed to get out of this cavern. I walked down the brief staircase, stumbling upon a few corpses slumped on the ground, along with children skulls carefully placed in a line across the uneven walls of the cavern. Stone tools were placed on a piece of rock in the middle of the platform.

Nothing much else to see. I swiftly jumped over the small gap leading out of this small area, wanting to get out of here sooner than I planned. This place was giving me the creeps, and not the same kind of creeps back in the town. Something different... It just gave me an eerie feeling.

I hopped up to another ledge, gritting my teeth in exhaustion as I pushed myself up, trying to get the dust off my clothes. I liked to exercise every now and then, but this was giving me a real painful workout. All the running, jumping, crawling and hiding really made me... tougher, if you will. Or at least made me feel tougher.

The path illuminated by torches shined me the way, also giving sight to corpses cemented on the walls by branches. Fuck. Why were they doing this? I felt the oxygen in the air decrease as I traveled further, starting to pick up the pace to get out of here sooner. Heretic temples aren't really my style. I prefer Temple Gate where there are simply fresh new dead animals and human corpses. These corpses looked like they were in this position for a long time.

Everything was in complete silence except my boots digging into the sand with each step. The sound of it normally felt comforting, but not here. All these dead people, murdered just because of a god that doesn't exist. What a waste. The first thing I'll do once I get out of here with Lynn safe and sound is to reveal my video footage out to the public. Nobody will mind because it's just psychos living in a remote area, barren of any corporate presence or government projects. These assholes deserve getting exposed for their animosity.

I felt the cobblestone above me give a tremble as the whole cavern shook, almost causing me to lose my balance as I staggered forward. What the fuck? It's like a brief earthquake happened. Distress taking over my breaths, I continued my progress, not eager in the slightest to stay here any longer. It can't be too far off now.

I turned a small corner before noticing that the natural cave roof above me was absent, giving away to the beautiful stars shining from light years away. The whole landscape looked gorgeous, but the whole satanic cult thing really ruined it. It's like they ruin everything they touch, including me and Lynn.

What the fuck?!

On a fallen log was a little girl in Catholic clothes hanged, limp. The way she was dangling above the ground made me recall something from my childhood. I also knew somebody who was hanged, but is that really...

"No! No!"

That voice. Jessica! I sprinted towards her direction, passing by a few logs before quickly arriving at the place where she... used to be. She was gone. What the fuck is going on? Is my brain playing a game with me? Why am I suddenly going back to my memories of her? She was hanged, but it wasn't a murder like everyone believed. She was abused by Loutermilch, and he forced me to hang her to make it look like an accident. I was just a little kid, I had to go along with it. He threatened to kill me, but I felt like I should've done something.

Oh god. Why the hell didn't I do something? Whatever was showing me the memories of her, it felt like they were trying to show me something. But I didn't know what. She was dead because of my stupid kid brain, leaving when she wanted me to stay with her.

No. Jessica is dead. Has been for a few decades. Lynn, my wife who I love more than anything, is still alive. I can go save her, unlike Jessica. I still have a chance to redeem myself. Maybe whoever is showing me these things is trying to warn me about Lynn. That I need to hurry, or I'll lose her, just like Jessica.

Okay, fuck. Keep moving. I passed by a few cactuses and tiki torches before coming across a small crevice, squeezing through it with ease. What awaited me on the other side was Temple Gate, the main part of it. Amber windows forcefully piercing through the heavy fog, the distant silhouette of the chapel looming forth. A man from the stone ages would easily think this is the most advanced structure humanity would be able to build. It gave off a metropolitan vibe, the freezing chill encroaching with the approaching midnight.

 _"Any heretics God delivers to you, bind in withs and bring to the chapel."_

Knoth. Making his presence almost immediately known after just arriving. The "bring to the chapel" statement was my reminder that I was getting closer. I put my camcorder down, watching the lit up village with dread. In the distance stood the chapel, just behind the town. Oh my fucking god. What am I walking into?

 **Recording**

"The chapel. I could see the chapel. How far did this go? A feeling in my teeth like the sound of scissors."

 _"We will root out the outsider whore who's brought this darkness to the good earth!"_

I began to make my way down the path, fully aware of the fact that I was walking into a whole town of angry cultists who wanted me dead. I feel like I'm not going to walk out of this place in one piece. I always say that and manage to survive, but this was on a whole different level. Walking into the base of the guys trying to kill you seems like the worst idea you could ever come up with.

Fuck me.

 _"The tribulations are upon us, and we must make ready for righteous violence in the name of the Lord!"_

I tried to zoom into the windows of the houses to see if anyone was residing in them, but all I could see were beds and kitchens empty of any residents. They had to be somewhere though. Knoth couldn't be talking to no one. Vivid images of a cultist chugging down a bottle of cyanide sprang into my mind like an embarrassing memory from childhood, unfolding the events before my eyes as the cultist collapsed onto the ground while vomiting white liquid all over the floor. It wasn't happening, but my mind showed it to me like a past event. How? I hissed as I ran the words through my mind, my mind fractured in all sorts of various places. My school. Jessica. Random hallucinations. Am I going insane? Like them. Slowly rotting away, mentally. Goddamn, I have to let go of the past. For my sake.

 _"Pray and hold fast. God loves you."_

The speakers cut out with a high pitched sound, finally letting the sound of the wind fill in my ears instead. I fumbled with the camera for a bit before turning the NV on, mainly pointing it at the ground to pick out any rocks or branches I could trip on.

Shuffling across a ledge, I drew in a few sharp breaths before continuing on, not paying attention to the birds flying above. They'd probably be all dead in a couple of minutes anyway, no point in fawning over them anymore. For the time being, the only useful thing to do besides heading towards the town was to pick up this battery next to a dead flashlight in the hands of a dead cultist. Nice.

Heading downwards through a brief incline, I came across a river a car length away from the nearest edifice, hosting clean looking water flowing along its confines. Water! I joyfully rushed over, putting my pigshit covered hands into it and breathing a sigh of relief as the disgusting liquid got swept away by the clean and nice water. Things were starting to look up, and I felt my almost shattered morale get a well deserved boost up, giving me the determination needed to continue towards Temple Gate.

I entered through an open pathway hosting makeshift timber braces on the ceiling, keeping the structure in place. Pouty pots and trinkets, which led to some kind of a prison section, just like in Knoth's church. But the cages were empty, dust particles being a small exception. Where exactly am I? I just entered and found this place, no idea where the entrance to the town is.

My face went flat as a door above the stairs I was under busted open, stopping me dead in my tracks as my blood ran ice cold. The cultist right above shined his flashlight around the room, grunting a few religious phrases before slamming it shut behind him. Oh my god.

That was close. I removed a few steps of the stairs to crawl through, rising to my feet once on the other side. Where the hell is my camera? Oh, here. I quickly propped it onto my eyes and clicked on the night vision, and began to rummage through the room, looking for anything useful. This is a massive town, somebody has to possess something useful. A dozen pillows were stacked on top of each other near the corner of the room, standing beside a counter with some candles on top. I felt a tingle travel up my spine as footsteps above the ceiling became audible, accompanied by muffled speech. Oh god, where the fuck am I?

I paced down the 3 step staircase, examining the chair sitting next to a few small propane tanks. Child dolls were lying on the floor and on the walls, still no answer to why these people had child stuff in their town. Their cult abhors children, so why do they keep them?

Sitting next to a few red candles, a piece of paper stood on a table, written by a red pencil like the other letter I found back in the barn.

 _March 9_

 _More children dead. Knoth says there is no sin in such infanticide, as all are soldiers in God's army. Martyrs fallen on the field in defiance of the Archfiend. All those babies with slit throats and charred flesh will be waiting immaculate for us in paradise._

 _Papa Knoth also says that our sins find us in our dreams. Our sins find us in our dreams. But my dreams are nothing but the murder of my children. And I wake laughing, and aroused, and often wet with the involuntary lust of sleep._

 _I woke this morning thinking I was wetted with the blood of a child's slit throat. But it was wetness of my own making._

 _The others are having similar dreams. We have dug a tunnel so that we may meet in secret. We gather and share our visions and wonder at their meaning._

 _I feel increasingly this is a message. But nothing holy._

I was almost sure this was written by the same person. The way they wrote it and the date of the month they put on the top was just like the one I found in the barn. I opened my photo gallery and opened the first one I found, reading through it again. The writer says they kept orphans. But here they say the kids were murdered. The first letter was written in January, this one in March. I feel like this isn't the second letter they wrote.

I was distracted off my thought train by more footsteps above the ceiling, the wooden planks above creaking with every step. Somebody up there? How? Am I in a fucking basement? I have to be. I'm certainly not underground, that's for sure. I'm in somebody's house.

I need to hurry before whoever is above tries to wander down here. I gave the room one last look over before pulling the deadbolt out of its hole and pushing open the door, leading the way to a staircase going above. I carefully climbed it to the top, a horrible stench washing over me like a tidal wave before I thought to cover my nose with my collar. Oh fuck, this room was a mess. A corpse was slumped against a support pillar, a kitchen knife in his hand. Dirty clothes were everywhere, sinks and an empty fridge, more pictures of Jesus hanged on the cross. Eaten corn leftovers were inside a soup bowl, probably contributing to the disgusting smell.

Everything else looked normal, excluding a bucket rolled over on its side, spilling out a single intestine.

The front doors were barricaded off with planks, and the door itself was locked. Someone really didn't want people coming in here. Fuck. My only option was to head up another staircase. I was officially in the town now, shit. I need to keep on my toes, I can't let anyone get the drop on me. Lynn needs me alive. The chapel isn't far from here either, I could see it from the cliff near the Heretic temple.

 _"You hate God because he made you kill your child?"_ Another door entered my view, near some kind of logo written on a wall.

 _"God himself killed his own child! Nailed him to a tree and hung him suffering for days before he died."_ The door was jammed. Damnit. I turned right, examining a table resembling that of an office table.

 _"And when his only son said 'why hast thou forsaken me,' he said not a word."_ Skulls were placed on the office table, accompanying a bowl full of small bones, like a treat for dogs. The front door was probably unlocked, but it'd need some strength to get it open because of the bookshelf blocking half of the door. But before that, there was another paper on a counter I wanted to read.

 _"I am that I am. I am that I am."_ I picked up the clean paper and snapped a picture before reading through it. The letter was written with a red pencil like the other two letters, but the writer didn't write down the date this time.

 _Sullivan- Papa. Ezekiel. Liar. Charlatan. Temple of gout. Addict. Coward. Rapist. Child-killer._

 _I am gone, and I have taken with me all with the courage to see the truth._

 _Come after us. Hunt us down. We are waiting and eager to murder and fuck every body you send up to the mountain._

 _I don't hate you. Could Jesus hate a Baptist for being a Jew? I could not have found my true vision without your years of ignorance and bullshit. I could never have had the courage to seek the truth if not fueled by my anger at your lies._

 _Your God is a child's superstition. Your faith is an embarrassment._

 _The signs of the True Father were before you. Before us all. And you- vainglorious, gullible, too stupid to draw beneath, you thought the visions were punishment from an angry and ominous God._

 _Your god is afraid because your god is no god at all. Your god is your own ego, vulnerable and false. An embarrassment._

 _My god is no god at all. But he is true. And he is here in every moment of ecstasy. And his child will fuck and tear this world to everlasting glory._

 _I do not ask that you join us. I tell you: you will join us. Because our love is greater than you can ever imagine._

 _Val_

Well, Val was still a religious maniac, but I liked her words about Knoth's religion. Wait a fucking second, this was written with a red pencil. So that means the letters... were written by her? I opened both of them and read through them again, taking in mind that it was Val who was writing this time. She seemed to show sympathy for the children unlike Knoth, so that must've been a deciding factor towards her rebellion against Knoth. But one thing didn't make sense. Why did Knoth suddenly order to kill all children? Val's first two letters were written between January and March, so something must have happened in between. I just didn't know what yet. Also, the bright white was another mystery. I felt like it played a huge role in the grand scheme of things, but I had no idea what caused it.

Shrugging, I walked to the bookshelf and began pushing it away from the door with all my strength, hoping that my arms wouldn't break or something. What the fuck am I talking about?

 _"We stand guard at the gate through which the Antichrist will breach this world."_ The floor under the bookshelf was badly slashed up from all that forced movement. Without thinking about it too much, I flicked the door open, leading into the balcony of this multiple story house.

 _"We are at the cunt of armageddon."_ The only cunt is you, dickhead.

I swiftly activated my microphones as my eyes locked into a cultist running down the streets, his flashlight wildly swaying from side to side. His breathing was unorganized and in a distressed state. Maybe he was running away from something? I didn't lose sight of him until he turned a corner towards the backstreets, going to god knows where. Well, there was nothing but a chair near me. I headed left and was able to jump down the balcony thanks to a torn railing. The sand below initiated a loud thud as grits of small particles flew up into the air.

Barrel. My trek through the pathway was brief, only a few moments. I ground up to a halt as I stared at the industrial elevator laid out before my eyes. It led to the the upper levels of the village, on the same height as the chapel. I examined it for a few seconds, making sure that it would transport me to the top and there wouldn't be like a deep underground base they've been hiding all this time, but it seemed clear enough. This was my way up. I stepped inside, setting eyes on a gas can and some boxes. It seemed like this was an industrial elevator, designed to carry equipment. But a person wasn't a huge exception, surely.

Well, it seems like I was overthinking my little visit to the town. I just got here, and I already found a way to travel safely towards the chapel without any trouble. I twisted the handle towards the right, my face falling flat when the elevator just gave a loud whine instead of taking me up. Huh?

I twisted it again, only being greeted by another whine as the metal under me shook. Fuck, how am I gonna get it working again? Gas? No, these types of elevators usually work thanks to a generator a bit far away. So that meant...

The town.

Fuck me. I definitely wasn't overthinking my visit to the town now. The generator is probably god knows where, probably in some discreet location I couldn't hope to reach without getting myself killed. But this thing definitely wasn't moving without it. Blake, you fucking idiot. What was I thinking?

I took unwilling steps out of the safe confines of the lift, staring right at the hopeless abyss that was the town square. To my knowledge, there must be some sort of edifice containing the generator. If the fucking thing doesn't run on prayers that is.

Wait. I turned on my NV before heading deeper, wanting to completely have my sight in case someone attacked. Screams arose from around the town, their exact whereabouts unknown. The acoustics were weird in this place, even my microphones couldn't pick up too much up. In the center of the houses stood a mangled corpse nailed on a stick, their flesh still rotting in waste. The putrid scent wasn't short of anything disgusting, ten times worse than any inanimate object could smell like. These tiny shacks were everywhere, and I couldn't help but wonder just how much of them were unlocked and free for me to explore. I could spend my whole night here, if I wasn't swift in my progression.

Who is that? I zoomed in with my camcorder towards her, my microphone transmitting her religious phrases to my ear. It was the same woman from before, near the river and the cornfield. She was spouting the same bullshit again, looking at me directly this time. Shivers traveled up my spine as I gulped, disturbed to my core by her presence. Okay, fuck. I wasn't going in that direction. Not a fan of passing by a barrel containing a skinless horse leg in it. She stood right at the middle of the path, making it impossible for me to get past without some sort of confrontation, which I wasn't a huge fan of, no thanks. I began towards a building that seemed promising, still glancing at the woman every now and then. I should stay off the streets, it isn't safe.

I pushed open the front door, remembering to close it behind me. The interior was normal enough. Pots and a fridge, a coffee table between them. I walked in deeper, coming across a stairway down and a door left ajar to my right. I tried the door first, setting eyes to beds and an open window. I made sure to close it before I ventured back into the hallway, not wanting to hear her voice any longer. I went down the stairs, dust tickling my nose and causing me to thrust a few sneezes out of my throat in rapid succession. I got to have a good look in the basement, it's my best bet to find the generator that powered this place. The steps groaned as I wandered down them, and I made sure to grab onto the wall in case any of them collapsed under my weight.

The basement held some supplies, probably a place to crash in when the zombie apocalypse happened. Cardboard boxes were filled with fresh potatoes near the storage counter, grits of dust on them. Whoever left these here clearly didn't care about their potatoes getting harmful bacteria or even maggots. Gross.

Barrels and a table stood near another door, probably my next path. I'll see if it opens. I rattled with the doorknob a few times, twisting it harder when the door refused to budge, but to no avail. It was blocked from the other side. FUCK! I thrust an angry kick, the door still not daring to move an inch. Fine, back up I guess. I climbed up the stairs, making sure to look out the window to be sure she was gone. Her voice didn't meet my ears any longer, so I assume she moved on? I pushed up the window, hopping through and continuing my search.

Shit, she still wasn't gone. Her voice was barely audible, but it was there. I paid little to no attention as I checked out the shed of another house. A single rolling cart held some more supplies, not sure what they contained. I could cut open the sacks they were in, but it wouldn't be worth the effort. They already hated me enough. I went through another empty doorframe, meeting a fence to my left that I quickly vaulted over. Barrel and a dead body. What else is new? I passed by without thinking too much, coming across a gap in the fence that I could crawl under, and a small window slit to my left directly going into the basement of another house. I hoisted it up and dived through, hearing it shut behind me as I fell into the ground face first. Fuck. I stood up, examining my surroundings. The generator could be anywhere, I was going to have to spend some time searching these houses.

It looked like a child's room. Near the tiny bed was a doll enclosed in a box, and a pink teacup table with some coffee stains over it. What the fuck? I glanced over at my camera to record, only to find the battery nearly exhausted. Dammit, I need to be more conservative. I hastily shut off the NV, not wanting to waste the remaining power any further. I wish I still had that lamp. Checking my pockets, I found no batteries either. Didn't I pick up one back at the... I can't remember.

On the wall were some drawings that only a kid could have drawn. One of them depicted a kid running away from a monster. It possessed 6 legs, and a few tongues reaching out for the poorly drawn kid.

That's fucked up.

I stepped deeper into the room, briefly turning on my NV to see the small dark part of the cramped area. A dead adult slumped on the ground, several cuts on his head and a massive wound on his stomach. How and why did he die? I guess I'll never know. I shined the NV on a cross made out of wooden beams, stuck on the wall. Not too interesting, but the writing below the horizontal beam attracted my attention.

 _Fingers first_

 _Then balls_

 _Then tongue_

What the fuck? I snapped a picture of the writing, putting in my photo gallery among the papers. I was already unnerved, this just made me more anxious about this whole thing. Fingers first? Is this some kind of torture instruction manual?! Why? Shit, that must be what Ethan meant by asking me if my tongue was slit. I hate my life. There isn't much for me here, I should get out. I pushed the wooden door open, expecting it to lead out of the basement but just coming across another room. More supplies and potatoes. The only thing interesting was a paper on a table, illuminated by a single candle amongst the darkness.

It was another chapter of Knoth's gospel. Not worth my time. I'll read it when the opportunity presents itself, but now at this particular moment.

"Do you hear that? I hear someone in the basement."

I didn't bother to take a picture before I bolted out of there, prying the window slit back up and crawling through. That was tense. I crawled through the gap in the fence, locking eyes with a dead body for a brief moment as I felt it stare right back into mine. I gently swayed my head to the right, expecting his gaze to follow right behind the motion like in horror movies.

I'm wasting my time. Jesus fucking Christ.

There was a window above, seeping the artificial lighting out of the house. But it doesn't look like there is a way to get in through that without causing some serious ruckus. I'd imagine the residents don't take well to their homes being invaded, so I have to keep a down low. Not through here, the crazy woman is there. I decided to avoid the main streets as I tried to wrench open another window slit, but ultimately failed as the damn thing refused to budge. I could make out a dining table with robed cultists gathered around it, each to their own seats. Their heads were slumped against the sheet covering the table, something liquid dripping out of the corner of their lips and leading into large blue stains that looked like they were there since the last century. On the center stood situated a single bottle of cyanide, emptied out to its last inch.

Cyanide. The blue stains. Did they drink it? Why? This was starting to make less and less sense as I gawked at the confusing sight, grossed out at the thought of ingesting goddamn cyanide. I scanned the room with the best of my abilites from this position, bummed out that I wasn't able to get in. My sick curiosity still upheld to this moment, driving me to do things that would get me killed if I acted on them. I see no signs of vomiting, probably because they did it on the toilet and not here. Their black robes were torn from their roots, their backs completely exposed to the outside world as the cloth that once covered them now on the ground. Probably on purpose; One side effect of cyanide poisoning is that the victims experience intense headaches that cause them to become violent, and lash out anything that bothers them. Their overalls happened to be the first thing they became mad at, it seems. I'm such a smart guy, thanks random information from college classes I rarely listened to. Honestly don't know how I landed a job as an investigative journalist.

It wasn't too long before her voice became audible again as I stepped into the main street, muttering a distant 'fuck you' under my breath. I couldn't tell where she was, and I couldn't risk getting out in the open. Swaying my microphones from side to side didn't work either, I was just gonna have to be careful. There's gotta be a way around her.

Turning back, I flicked open the window into another house, jumping in and closing it behind me. This was a bedroom, wardrobe near the bed, and some propane tanks strewn under. There was a battery on the bedside counter, so my entrance here wasn't for nothing. I swiftly put it in my camera's battery place, taking the other one and dumping it on the ground. I breathed a sigh of relief as the battery power meter went full again. Good. Now just have to find the generator.

I flicked the window back open, shuffling through and stepping my boots on the amber soil for hopefully the last time. The mumbling woman was still standing right in the middle of the street, her tiny book set out over her palm. Her eyes were filled with glint from the night vision, staring at the dark abyss that was the night sky. Did she even notice me?

I stood up on my feet, watching her directly block my path. Okay, let's get past you. I pulled out my machete from my waist, pointing it at her. She still wasn't threatened, continuing her religious ramblings without missing a beat. Fuck, I don't really want to fight anybody if I don't have to, but you left me no choice.

I made it look like I was disinterested, and abruptly dashed towards her without a warning, hoping she would get caught by surprise. I can do this, I can do this! What I thought would be a machete in the eyeball turned out to be a gentle push as I shoved her aside, running up the stairs and coming to a halt near a burning tree. I immediately spun about on my heels to see if she moved, and only met the same cold eyes as before, mouth babbling on about something only filtering material to my mind.

Send help.

I got past, so that's good. She didn't seem to be interested in my endeavors towards reaching the generator, instead more focused on praying. Where the hell is this damn thing?! The street lights were out, and I couldn't be the only one that was bothered by the darkness. Why is this fucking generator not active in the first place? To spite me? Fuck all of you. Fuck my decisions. I just want out. OUT! YOU HEAR ME?!

No, they didn't. I hope it stays that way. I can't attract any kind of attention.

I hopped through a window left ajar, staring at the kitchen with a confused expression before snapping back to reality and closing the window. Alcohol and some whiskey stood on the dining table, their contents emptied out. I didn't bother to check the fridge as I noticed that the lamp was still on, despite the generator not working. How? Does this house have its own energy source? I didn't dwell on it for too long before I twisted the doorknob, my only concern was to preserve my body and mental state as long as I could.

The door gave a long, drawn out groan as it eased away from its hinges, my eyes set right on the opening to spy what was in the room revealed by the door. Another cultist, sleeping. One of his arms was left dangling on the edge of the mattress, orange stains collected on the cotton surface above his drooling, agape mouth. He looks drunk, probably why the alcohol in the kitchen is all exhausted down to its last drip. I'm no doctor, but he has definitely passed out from the excessive alcohol consumption. So I have no worries to wake him up and have him alert the whole town. Still, I didn't want to make too much noise, so I pushed the door just enough that I could squeeze through, and left it ajar as I scanned the bedroom. A single battery stood on the counter beside the bed. I quickly got ahold of the cylinder power source and inserted it into my battery port, the visor of my camera now fully bright in response to the brand new battery now stuck in it. Timber groaned, squeaked, and creaked as I ransacked every nook and cranny available in the entire room, leaving with disappointment everytime a cabinet turned out to be empty.

Fuck.

Nothing in here. I propped the window beside the back up and stumbled through the vacant window frame, stepping back outside to the same old drone of the old woman, and the insects swirling around any rotting biomatter left for dead.

I gave another glance at the burning tree, just now noticing that a corpse was tied to it burning along with it. Oh fuck. I grabbed onto my collar as I walked past, the smell of burning and rotting flesh almost prompting me to puke. I was surprised I hadn't already. This generator was starting to piss me off. Where the hell is this fucking thing? My eyes scanned the immediate area with intent, looking for a structure that looked like it held the generator in its confines. The only promising candidate was a refurbished cavity leading beneath the soil, a flight of stairs set up to provide easy access down into the area. Fuck, my footsteps are generating too much noise. It's a miracle someone hasn't heard me so far. Even the acute stone making up the stairs groaned with my weight above, brushing against the fiber of my boots and gradually wearing them down until they would no longer be usable.

The foul stench of stagnant timber rushed into my senses as soon as I stepped foot in the compact room, having me search for every breath I took. Argh, fuck! Plywood stacked upon each other, pieces of brick scatted across the unswept floor. My throat expanded and contracted as I gagged. Hard. I was actually forcing myself to stagger forward as I made my way around the room, searching for the generator that was hopefully in this damn place.

Absolutely nothing. Only unkept stacks of timber and weary construction material covered the area. Are you kidding me? I made my way down here for nothing! I tried to hold back the sneeze creeping up my throat before it took control, but more focused on finding the stairs that led out of this room. Ugh, don't they ever clean this place?

What was that? I paused and listened, almost certain I heard something snap open. Sounds like a door. Faint footfalls soon followed, approaching closer with each second that ticked by. Someone is moving around upstairs. This might be a problem. Is he going to come down here? Did he hear the noises I made?

My suspicions were confirmed. The microphones boomed louder with each groan the steps made, signaling my need to conceal myself. In a wild dash, I lunged towards a barrel and ducked inside, my fingers practically dancing with the lid before I slammed it onto the barrel.

The microphones were transitioning between red and yellow now. Through the cracks I could make out the distinct shape of a person pacing around the room, flashlight ablaze. I didn't even realize my teeth were trembling until they banged together. I think the fact that I'm shitting my pants is pretty well established, so I'm not going to dwell on it, or else I'll end up like them. One of my biggest fears, becoming the thing you hate.

I did something risky and stupid. I pushed the lid up ever so slightly and peered over the small opening that only my eyes could fit into, trying to see where he was. Patrolling the furthest corner in the room. My head went right back in as he swayed his flashlight directly towards my barrel, my panicked breathing echoing inside the cramped cylinder. I don't think I can take much more of this. Leave, mind your own business.

I listened as his footsteps faded up the steps, fading into nothing as silence overtook the room once again. Is it safe? I did a quick perimeter check with my microphones, scanning the whole room to make sure nothing was in here with me. I gently removed the lid as I stepped outside, taking one last glance at the room before I began towards the staircase.

My brain literally jolted inside my skull as I caught the approaching footfalls making their way down the stairs again. Shit! I quickly took cover behind a stack of wooden planks, obscuring his sight to my position. That was close.

I staggered towards the left side of the wooden planks, while he wandered towards the opposite way. Oh my god. My teeth were clenched together, in utter disbelief towards what I was doing. The barrel I was just hiding in somewhat distracted him from the search. He inched towards the hollow cylinder and shined his flashlight through the cracks, while I was making my way up the stairs like a bandit. My nerves were shot to their maximum capacity until I was well above the staircase, following the rising pathway up to an industrial edifice reeking of gasoline. I hope to god he didn't notice me, or I would be in deep trouble right at this moment.

You're doing okay so far Blake, keep it up for a bit longer.

I made my way past some counters with gas cans and fuel tanks, while I spied the old woman past a set of murky windows She seemed occupied in something, lost deep in thought. I paid no mind as my NV picked out the flight of stairs leading upwards, towards the higher floors of the building. The generator must be somewhere around here. It can't be too far away. Fuck, It feels like I explored the whole town already, despite just exploring for a few blocks.

The usual stuff; Barrels, wooden planks, blankets. I trudged past them as I set eyes on the next row of stairs leading higher. The generator has to be somewhere around here, the gas cans below are the only unique stuff I've seen in this town. I began to wonder if that praying woman was stalking me, because I'm pretty sure that's her right there, partially hidden behind the counters downstairs. Her eyes ominously gleamed in the NV, her knife set high over her shoulder. My labored breathing was erratic, and unnerved. I don't like that.

 **Power Generator Room**

I breathed a sigh of relief as these glorious words were laid out freely for my eyes to see. That wasn't too hard. Okay, time to get this thing going. The empty doorframe leading to the generator was right there, but I wanted to read this letter first before turning it on.

 _Simeon,_

 _I need to talk to you in deepest secret cause of_ _your_ _knowing of the unctures and such and medicines._

 _I hope you know I do not trade any more words thans strictly needful when we make the trip in the damned world for gasoline and electricals and other such necessaries as we can't make._

 _I've got something friendly with the publican boy who sells us the pills Papa needs and when I mentioned them as "study aids" the boy laughed and said a body didn't need "Penissilon" for_ studyin _unless a body was studyin "gash". Have you heard of such things? I do not want to ask Papa for fear of I do not know what. But I do not want to accidentally poison him neither. Please come to see me._

 _-John_

What? The letter was full of writing mistakes, but the word "Penissilon" sparked my interest. Could he mean Penicillin? Why?

Figures. My footsteps tapping against the brittle wood echoed throughout the building, amplified as I noticed the clunky generator sitting idly in the center of the room. I took a moment of my time glance past the foggy window. The street lamps were out, and probably would be out forever unless I got this thing going. Okay...

Alright, let's see. My soft pacing around the generator seemed gentle, but my mind was racing. I didn't know the first thing starting a generator, I'm not a goddamn... engineer. Don't these have some kind of latch you pull several times in order to activate them? The latch, yes. I remember doing this back when I helped a colleague of mine on his work. It was hidden under some cable wires extending into its interior, hidden behind rusty metal that I took to be unkept by these cultists. I gripped it, and pulled it loose with all my strength. The generator gave a loud whine as the street lamps flickered on and out, and I thought I had done it before the generator died down again. Come on, I can do this. I pulled it for the second time, making the street lamps flicker again. Maybe I need to do it harder?

I ripped it out one last time, the generator giving out a mighty roar as it whirled into life, and took the street lamps and hopefully the elevator along with it. Yes, the elevator should work! Just need to avoid the residents again on the way back. The damn thing was generating one hell of a ruckus, chugging fuel like it was cotton candy. I was surprised I hadn't gotten tinnitus already. I shoved my collar towards my nose to block the bleak vapor churning out of the generator, most likely a host to dangerous gasses which could be fatal.

Can't waste time. I spun about on my heel towards the door leading out of the room, only to yelp in pain as the crushing blow of a kitchen knife sinked hard into my shoulder. I shrieked, several times. I stumbled backwards out of instinct, backing away from the praying woman who had caught me off my guard. Fuck, that smarts! The mumbling lady swung her knife again, barely scraping my cheek as her arm ground to a halt with my control, my fingers jammed deep in hers. So many questions pestered my mind, about how she got here and didn't make any noise.

Don't think about it.

I tried to reach for my machete, but ended up running towards the opposite corner to put distance between me and her. I could try to make a run for it to the door, but I doubt I'd be quick enough. But it wouldn't be too long before the other townsfolk heard the massive ruckus I had just created.

She struck again, but her hand was promptly stopped dead in its tracks as I gripped it tight, trying to drop the knife out of her hand. Come on! I pressed against the wall and braced myself for the impact, my leg blindly trying to find a good spot to rest on as I pushed with all that I could muster. She awkwardly stumbled backwards to the generator and smashed her spine against the edge, and tumbled onto the gritty floorboards with a tiny blood stain left on the generator. This didn't faze her however, she only hesitated for a moment as she formed her fingers into a fist, and hauled herself up to her feet.

I was expecting another attack, but the woman just stared at me with disinterested eyes and headed back out the door, a soft mumble churning out of her mouth as she slowly made her exit. Shit! My shoulder. What the fuck was that? Why did she attack me?

The elevator. I need to get there before somebody finds me in here.

I shot a glance at the now functioning generator, probably burning a few gallons of fuel by the minute. My shoulder was leaking blood, I groaned as the pain previously suppressed by adrenaline settled into my frayed nerves, the aching gradually getting worse. I should probably patch that up. I produced the roll of bandage I found back in Ethan's house and wrapped it over the open wound until it was completely out of sight and was bleeding through. Thanks, Ethan. I need to make my way back, they're probably heading up here already to investigate. I don't have much time. I made my less than eventful trek back to the flight of stairs leading down to the ground floor, a bit below the woman as she raised her 'bible' up to the sky and prayed.

This place would be the worst for someone allergic to dust. Even I was being irritated by this foul stench of rust. I wasted little before heading downstairs, where the floor morphed into the amber soil present in the most parts of this desert. Okay, I remember the way back to the elevator. The fact that now everything was brighter was gonna make it harder for me hide, seeing as I no longer had the NV advantage. The pitch black darkness was my biggest advantage around here, especially now that I'm in such grave danger. I need to avoid those street lamps, take the route that'd the most 'out of the grid' and get to the elevator that way.

Everything was exactly the same way as I left them, the woman inside, the gas cans strewn along the counter. The short trek back down the path wasn't exciting by any means, what a shocker. There wasn't much to explore anymore, just walk until I reach the elevator. They'll probably think the woman back there restarted the generator. The last thing I need is to have my guts shredded my some random cultist that regularly utilizes his manhood in perverted ways.

Dammit. I scrambled out of sight as a cultist sprinted away from the path I needed to go, towards a wooden shack with the front door firmly shackled. He didn't care though, he slammed his fists into the base until someone answered, and lunged inside like he was getting chased by a demon.

"It's Marta, RUN!"

They locked the door as soon as their 'friend' was inside, my eyes purely focused on the houses leading right to that elevator. Now's my chance! I sprang up to my feet and booked it down the inclining path, drifting to the right as I noticed my field of vision getting wider.

"Knoth's eye it's her! Knoth's eye it's her!"

I'm so close, I can practically feel the power of the generator surge through me. As soon as I'm through those gates, I'm free until I make it to the chapel.

"This way is forgiveness."

Oh, fuck! The pickaxe woman emerged from behind a house, blocking my way to the elevator. Shit. I wasted no time before cutting left towards the back alley, cursing at my brain for being so careless. I thought I was finally away from her?! I took the precious time to glance back, my nerves instantly shattered as I watched her silhouette pop up around the corner. Oh fuck, fuck fuck fuck! My legs bent as I turned tail, changing direction sideways and sliding through the gap in the metal fence I went through earlier. Should I hide in the window slit? No, the residents are inside. I'll just get brutalized by them. I resumed my sprint unfazed as I vaulted over the wooden fence, and head on to the right, my mind reflecting back to Ethan, his gurgles as he fought for his life. I can't end up like him. No!

The alleyways were intricate, but there were only so many turns you could take and come up to a dead end. I promptly burst into the town square and felt the brief but powerful scent of the rotting aroma fill in my nose. I took my last scarce seconds to check behind me, only to realize she wasn't following me when I slid under the fence, but instead went the opposite way to cut me off. I narrowly stumbled sideways away from her pickaxe as she swung it towards my face, following suit right behind me as I raced up the elevating path towards the elevator. Not today bitch, NOT TODAY!

I didn't dare look back and see how far behind she was, it was already apparent by the massive footsteps rocking the ground behind my trail. I was determined to reach that elevator, no matter what happened. I won't die here, I can't die here. I sprang up the remaining steps set on the rising path, an instant feeling of safety gushing forwards into my face as the inviting aura of the lift greeted me inside.

I practically plowed my way into the elevator, limping forward and barely catching the handle stopping me from faltering. My whole world collapsed into ash and snow as I jerked the handle sideways with all my might, stumbling forward and collapsing on the cold hard steel as my jagged breaths soared through my respiratory system. The steel beam gates promptly closed behind me as that wicked monster emerged into view, staring at my figure with unrestrained hatred as the lift began to make its ascend.

"Papa, I have sinned in failure."

"Fuck you!"

"I will be ravenous in my penance."

I clutched my camera tight into my chest, somewhere it could never be hurt or damaged. The elevator was still rising, but I didn't have much time before I arrived up to the destination and was forced to depart. I didn't want to leave, never. Stay in the safe confines of the elevator, and spend the whole night here before things calmed down.

That... thing. Her name must be Marta. I assume the cultist was running away because of her, and he called her Marta. Quite a casual name for someone like her. Just hope we don't run into each other again.

The elevator ground up to a halt as a massive crash erupted from its ceiling, somewhat resembling cables snapping and the lift plummeting back down to the ground floor, but my guesses were dead wrong. I breathed a sigh of relief as the gates opened before me, revealing the upper levels of the town. I was now safe, there wasn't anyone up here, by the looks of it. Marta can't call the elevator back down, I didn't see a button down there that called it back down.

I closed my eyes and drew in a sharp breath before slowly stepping out of the elevator and taking in my surroundings. Who knows how much time I wasted while Lynn was suffering terrible things. I still have time to rescue her, and promise that I'll never leave her side ever again.

It's not my fault.


	7. Attack Hello

**Recording**

"Temple Gate, founded by Sullivan Knoth, the 'Modern Ezekiel'. Their knives sharp for the enemy." It was apparently established in 1971, two years after the moon landing. Hell, I didn't even realize Knoth was that old. How is it that this fuckery has been going on for decades, and literally no one mentions it or is aware of its existence? There is most likely something bigger going on here, bigger than this... religious war. There is no way in hell you'd be able to hide this town for that long, it's just not possible. You can't escape satellite imagery, and I heavily doubt these guys have the ability to hide their town off the face of the earth, unless some other grander force is keeping them hidden.

My mind swayed to god, but I quickly shut that thought down, not daring for even a second to give in to their beliefs. That's what he wants me to think.

I looked back at the elevator, still standing there and completely oblivious to the fact that it saved a life. There was no other way for me to get away from her otherwise, I was lucky. Fuck. The chapel isn't far, I can make it there under an hour on foot, if I don't come across an unpassable obstacle on the way.

Houses up here were the same, barred shut with wooden planks and devoid of any activity. The items of furniture inside them were scattered around the place, definitely not resembling an orderly taste in architecture. More heretics were tied into old trees, signs hung up on them saying "God forsake you." It wouldn't be too much of a wild guess to think that the Heretics did the same thing to Knoth's men when they took a single step towards their territory, wherever that was.

"O be careful little eyes what you see, O be careful little eyes what you see."

Jessica? I'm hearing her voice from somewhere, but no visuals... I've fucking lost it.

"There's a Father up above and he's looking down in love, So be careful little eyes what you see."

I rattled the doorknob of a random house, not really expecting anything besides looking for Jessica. Fuck, I need to find her. She disappeared back in the Heretic temple, but I was determined on finding her this time. Might be finally the time where I can ask her some questions.

I activated my microphones, waving them around the place to pinpoint her voice. Come on, where are you? Her voice seemed to be originating from that well, next to that deceased heretic with a sign above his head. I hesitantly extended my head into the well as much as I could, putting away my camera to make sure it was safe and sound.

The well was almost silent, except her voice. What the fuck, why is she down a well? She is dead, has been for quite a long time. This has to be related to that waking dream, there is no way I'm actually seeing this.

Her singing abruptly stopped mid-sentence, finally giving the well the silence it deserved. I still tried to pick up on any sounds originating from down, trying to make sure if I was hallucinating this. But there doesn't seem to be anything anymore. Okay then, can't let myself get too distracted. Need to keep going towards the chapel. I began to pull my head out, the seemingly bottomless abyss letting out a deep cry before a tongue clamped down on my neck, red veins following behind it as they covered the well's walls. WHAT THE FUCK? I gave out a couple of gurgles, trying to get this wet thing off my neck, but it was to no avail. The tongue promptly pulled me deep into the well, sending me plummeting to my death as the rusty surface of a vent caught me mid-fall.

What the absolute fuck?

I tried to feel around the tight space, trying to confirm that I had really stopped falling. Where the hell am I? The only thing visible was a ventilation shaft blasting out air into my face.

I must be back in my school again. That's the only explanation for this abrupt turn of events. If that's the case, then I need to keep moving. I pulled out my unscathed camera and flicked on the night vision, quickly turning off the microphones to not disturb me with the sound of the ventilation shaft spinning any longer. I began to crawl towards the only path in front of me, trying to reach the end where I could crawl out.

 **Please Blake**

Dead end, move right. You're not real Jessica, you've died a long time ago.

 **Don't let this happen**

I began to crawl faster in response to her voice, noticing that the screws of the vents were starting to loosen. But I didn't care one bit, I just need to see her again, even if she is just my imagination. Her screams arose from below, prompting me to crawl even faster. Kids bantering with each other could be heard from up here, indicating that I was crawling above classrooms.

These vents really didn't look like they could hold me, the screws looked like they could break at any second. Oh fuck, crawl quick!

 **I'm scared**

The screws got torn out one by one in rapid succession, the vent giving out a loud clunk before plunging into the classroom below. Several tables rolled over from the momentum of the fall, but they had it easy compared to me. Ow fuck, my ribs! My ears were ringing from the sudden change in acceleration, and my head felt like someone dropped a brick on me from a skyscraper.

 **We're not alone here**

I slithered myself out of the vent in agony, rising on my feet a second later. Shit, physics even work in my dreams. Should've paid a little bit less attention in high school.

 **Please Blake**

My eyes quick fixated on the two exit doors opposite from each other, signaling my swift leave out of this classroom. I need to find Jessica.

 **He's coming**

I swung open the left door, staring into pure pitch black before remembering to turn on my NV.

 **Where are you?**

A completely dark hallway. Lockers and doors strewn along its walls. I tried the one in front of me before beginning my pace through the creepy hallway, trying to locate Jessica, my best friend. Sinister laughter bounced off the walls, getting into my ears several times. Who the fuck is the sick bastard that's reminding me of her?

I glanced behind me in anticipation, expecting her to pop out any second now. She never really hid that well, I'd find her well before the 5 minute period ended. Two doors stood to my left and right, the former one lacking a handle and the latter one locked with a key. It seemed to lead into the cafeteria, but I don't remember there being a second entrance to it.

 **I'm scared**

The clock above was still showing the same time from the previous dream, and it seemed broken. It wasn't progressing, just like the night she... disrupting my thoughts, a random locker amongst the dozens snapped open, managing to give me an eyebrow raise before going over to check it out. Pink folders and a few religious student books were placed randomly around the locker, an old fashion music box was the only thing that kept it interesting. I snatched it into my hands, twisting the handle in a circle to play the creepy sounding melody. I didn't know she was into these kinds of things. I didn't recall seeing her with a music box ever, especially one with such a dramatic song. Giving out a distressed sigh, I put the music box back in its position, closing the locker to make sure something didn't fall. Wait... this wasn't her locker, it was Lynn's.

Oh, yeah. I remember her messing around with a music box, she even has one in our house right now. Well, that was kind of comedic, but my current situation snuffed out any kind of thoughts that might make me happy. The occasional snarky remark I muttered under my breath was probably one of the things keeping me going right now. There also seemed to be a small argument between Lynn and Jessica on a single paper, unbeknownst to me all this time.

 _Hey Lynn, I'm booooored... Mr combover's still talking about the 30 years war... blah blah blah... HAPSBURGS! Blah blah. Anyway I'm not riding home with you today because I've got journal but I'll call you when I get home, OKAY?_

* * *

 _Sup Jess! Combover's the worst... His nasal spray totally makes me want to puke! Journal HUH? Are you doing journal because:_

 _-You want to expose the dark truth behind the St Sybil Field hockey team?_

 _-Your dad is forcing you?_

 _-You have a big sloppy cruch on Blake!_

* * *

 _Shut up, BITCH! Also, we should replace Combover's nasal spray with hot sauce. Also, REALLY, SHUT UP!_

And the rest were sloppy drawings of a unicorn and a centaur. I knew Jess had a crush on me, but I didn't know she'd insult Lynn to keep it a secret. Jesus fucking Christ, one minute I'm getting chased by crazy hicks, the next moment I'm reading a note between two fourth graders. What is this, a... I can't come up with another remark. Fuck. Let's just move. I walked past some more random stuff, not paying much attention to them. I need to find a way to get back into the real world, or at least find Jessica.

The end of the hallway was a dead end, blocked by another duo set of doors without handles. Fuck, now I gotta go back to that classroom! I jogged at a snail's pace, trying to conserve energy to be able to save Lynn when the time arose. The only other way I could go was the other door, and it didn't take much effort to try to get it open before I gave up, hurling a hesitant kick towards the unwavering doorway. Shit, am I trapped here forever now? No, there has to be another way. I ran back to the hallway, sprinting past the same way I came without breaking my strides until Jessica's voice reached my ears.

"Blake!" Jessica? Her voice didn't sound omnipresent this time, most likely indicating that she was nearby. I jogged into the now open doorway on my right, entering into some sort of teacher's room before I caught a glimpse of her running past a hallway.

"Jessica, wait up!" Oh fuck, she was screaming! I need to go save her before it's too late again. I stepped foot into the hallway, swinging my head to the right as the static sounds of a television reached my ears.

There she is. Hanged, like it was true to begin with. I began to step closer to her limp hanging corpse, zooming in with my camera once I noticed something weird. What the hell?

 **Recorded**

I opened the now recorded footage, seeing nothing but static again. I listened in closer, starting to pick up someone speaking gibberish. How the fuck? Were they talking in reverse? The voice sounded like it was speaking something comprehensible, but just out of a normal person's understanding capability. I began to fiddle with the settings for a bit, trying to find the reverse option until we met face to face. Okay, hope this works. I pressed the button, playing the record again.

"You removed the temptation and the armor of the flesh and I was able to resist." I widened my eyes in response to those words, awestruck by the fact that my guess turned out to be right. So they were playing in reverse! I opened the other blank recording which was supposed to show Jessica's written words on the blackboard and played it in reverse.

"Dear Lord, sweet Jesus, forgive my sins and accept my gratitude. Thank you God for killing the child." Okay, I need to remember to play it in reverse once I record something in these weird hallucinations, I don't know what causes them, but they might reveal something.

I placed the camera back in my pouch, staring back up at Jessica's hanged corpse looking the same as ever. Fleshy arms and purple tongues held her in the air like she was their child, pulling her up the styrofoam panels once I got close enough. Jess? Oh fuck, I lost her again. Only the sickening and puke inducing hands of the fleshy arms were visible, moving their fingers around, resembling that of a spider waiting in place for its next unsuspecting prey. Well, they aren't catching me, that's for sure. I ran past their possible reach, trying to hold back on muttering a few more fucks. Jessica wasn't visible up there. Hell, the pitch black was the only thing you could see up there.

My eyes wandered to the sign near the freaky limbs, signaling me that I was near the music class. Okay, she might've wandered in there. It was her favorite place to hide during Hide and Seek, and acted like I wouldn't go in there first to find her. I let out a meek sigh, twisting the doorknob towards the right and pushing the door open.

I'm not sure what sort of face I wore, somewhere between utter confusion and shock. It didn't last long before I was interrupted from my widened gaze towards the mutilated corpses that seemed to be in mid-sex, and got yanked forward by my collar back into the nightmare. I didn't have much time to react before I received a fist to the nose, stumbling back, dazed, before the cultist pulled me back into his reach

"What the-"

"Father to the beast!" He held his machete to my neck, his bloody face appearing in and out due to the lamp above us waving back and forth.

"No! NO!" I tried to struggle against his grip, but he quickly slapped my hands away, leaving me completely defenseless against his machete. Oh fuck, I'm about to get killed! I dug my teeth into his knuckles with all my bite force, managing to ward him off for a few moments before I took the time to recollect myself.

"I'll bleed you in the yard!"

He was going full attack, forcing me backwards and yelling out insults to threaten me. I didn't have much of a choice to defend myself before he thrust his leg into my chest, sending me plummeting down a flight of stairs. I screamed the whole way down, feeling a few of my ribs get grinded on the way. What the fuck was that? I glanced back up at him, realizing that he still wasn't done with me. He quickly lunged down the stairs, narrowly scraping me in the shoulder as I thrust myself upwards and began running out of the house. Shit, he's right behind me! I passed by a robed cultist carving out a corpse, not paying too much attention to him as I swung open the front door and slammed it in his face.

"Woe to the bloody city!"

Already feeling that burning sensation in my lungs, I turned tail and legged it towards the house across, vaulting past a metal shelf before drifting to the right. Oh fuck! I could hear his leather shoes creak the floorboards, following suit right behind me. Trotting between a few more tables, I came across a wooden door left ajar, barreling into it with my arm and slamming it shut behind me right after. Okay, okay. Before continuing my hasty sprint away from the nasty looking cultist, I took the time to lock the door, catching the glimpse of his displeased face before hustling away.

I thought that would make him give up, but he promptly began to ram into the brittle wood with his shoulder, the door splinting apart more with each hit. Fuck me! I tried the door to my left, sending an angry kick towards the stubborn motherfucker. Shit, I need to find a way out of this house!

"Consume the flesh, and spice it well!"

The only apparent exit was a tight tunnel that would require me to crawl, but that isn't much to ask for. I dived into the cramped space, slithering my body through as the door above gave a final struggle before splinting apart and letting the cultist inside.

All sorts of shit were dumped down here, whatever they couldn't use. Gas cans, wheels, random planks of wood, you name it. It wasn't too long before the cultist began to follow me into the tunnel, shining his flashlight on my back to presumably keep continuous track of me.

"A more perfect consumption. A more perfect consumption!"

The path intersected in two ways, but quickly narrowed my decision to one as a glow of another flashlight appeared from the left side. Oh fuck, go the other way. I hastened my crawl towards the right, breathing in and out to keep calm. I can't lose my cold-bloodedness, not now.

My path took a left and finally came to an end, leading into open space. I took the time to glance over at my pursuers, seeing them still a great deal behind me. Good. I scrambled to my feet and began to bolt towards the open doorway across from my position. Other cultists joined the chase, surrounding me from all sides as I leaped up the stairs, failing to notice the cultist approaching behind me and on the point of grabbing distance. He snagged me by my collar and pulled me towards himself, almost managing to drive his machete into my skull before I caught the fucker by his wrists.

"Wings and jaws, inseparable even in sight!"

Tensing up my muscles, I managed to oust him away with a kick to the chest, audibly grunting from the energy I just used up. He went flying down the stairs, the force of the kick also sending me off my feet, but only wasting me a second as I got back up and lunged into the house without looking behind. I didn't bother to close the door before squeezing through the wooden beams, pushing them over to the empty doorframe to block any pursuers once I made it over to the other side.

"Consume the flesh, and spice it well. Let the bones be burned."

The bald cultist was the first to emerge in my view, pointing at me with his greasy fingers and waving his machete around in an attempt to intimidate me. Okay, okay. I got away.

"Woe to the bloody city!" He walked off my view after repeating his phrases for a bit, talking about burning bones and wishing woe to a bloody city. Fucking Christ. I finally had a moment to quiet down after all that running, a moment to get my bearings and position straight.

Or so it seemed.

One of them gazed at me past the window, walking off after pointing at me with his machete. More appeared, and they seemed to patrol around the house, looking for an entry point. Fuck, they know I'm here. I have to book it out of here before they find a way in. I broke into a wild dash, passing by a few children beds and twisting around the corner before setting eyes on a doorway signaling my departure out of here. I extended my hand out to reach the doorknob, feeling my heart beat inside of me like a gorilla.

Someone else gave the doorknob a twist instead of me, beginning to pummel the door once they realized it was locked. Shit, they don't give up! I thought the door would hold, but this one seemed to be coming apart faster than the other one. Fucking shit, just screw this place! Where do I hide?

Shit, nowhere to hole up into but the children beds. I quickly slithered under one of them, covering the screen of my camera with my hand to block off any light that might draw their attention. The battery was also getting low, so it would do me no good right now.

The door gave out a final cry before violently thrusting off its hinges, slamming onto the ground and letting way for the cultist out for my death. His whole composure reminded me that of a wild animal, all unorganized and not thinking clearly.

"Heretics."

He went past my bed without giving a glance, turning the corner and disappearing out of view. Now's my chance. I silently pushed myself off the bed, crouching past the broken doorframe and contemplating between my two possible paths. The stairs down into the basement, or the door into another room? Still unable to control my panicked breathing, I began to inch down the old looking staircase, recalling Val mentioning tunnels they dug in their basements. Besides, they're still out there.

"We are grateful for all things, for Thou created all things." Sneaky motherfucker. Another cultist was patrolling the basement, happening to pass by the stairs just as I was making my way down. He swayed his flashlight towards my direction, making eye contact with me for a brief moment before sounding the alarm.

"The outsider!" Fuck! I raced back up the stairs, planning to head back to the dormitory.

"Woe to the bloody city!" I stumbled back in surprise, coming up against the other cultist who was blocking my way back in. This is bad, this is bad. The stairs were blocked, the broken door was blocked, I'm fucked!

Without missing a single fucking beat, I drifted to the left and barreled into the other door that I dismissed earlier with my shoulder, hurling the door shut and putting the deadbolt into its hole. Pummelings began to start right after, prompting me to back away while they threw their bodies against the brittle piece of wood. It wouldn't hold for much longer, I needed to find something to barricade it with.

I swiftly ran over the bookshelf stationed near the duo doors, exerting it towards the door with all my strength. A few pieces of wood flew out of the door, landing in various areas of the room before the bookshelf covered it all up, blocking their entry. The bangings stopped after a few seconds, hopefully giving them the idea to stop.

"I will cause the noise of thy songs to cease." Shit, there's no way out of here. The only other door was barricaded to the brim with wooden planks, the nails not looking like they were going to be pried open anytime soon. Fuck! I paced around, trying to find some way to get out. They knew I had no way out. Hell, they might be waiting right outside the door, waiting for me to emerge.

I turned on my microphones, ceasing all sounds to listen in.

"Flesh hooks."

It sounded like he was heading back to the dormitory, judging by his voice intensifying greatly when I pointed the camera to the left. The other hooded cultist was nowhere to be heard of, despite even pointing my camera towards the basement.

Fuck.

I gripped the bookshelf again, trying to push it towards its original position without making too much noise. I drew in a sharp breath before unlocking the door and slowly pushing it open, still listening for any voices through my microphones. So far, it seems clear. I jumped over the railing, looking down to see if anybody was there before letting myself go.

The basement. There should be a tunnel down here, according to Val. I turned the NV on, not paying attention to the constant flickering due to low battery. There wasn't much down here aside from random shit. The door to my right was open, probably indicating that he went through there. But I still hid under the bed, knowing when to be cautious and when to haul ass. I'm doing good so far, no need to lose my cool.

I want to know where the other guy is. The bald cultist who tossed me down the stairs was still up on the ground floor, muttering his nonsense. But I haven't seen the one wearing the black robe yet.

Where the fuck is he? I put my patience to use and waited for him to emerge for half a minute, but to no avail. Okay, no one's coming. I'm good to progress. I tiptoed through the open doorway, examining my surroundings. Another bed, a few sacks of supplies and the faint light of a secret passageway behind a bookshelf. That must be the tunnel! Just have to push the bookcase out of the way.

Shit shit shit. I threw myself under the bed, starting to pick out footsteps approaching behind me. I began to hold my breath, trying to stay hidden in this very exposed underside of the bed. Any dumbass who looked just a little bit down could probably see me practically hiding in plain sight.

Fuck, he's coming. I should've closed the door! I didn't know that he wasn't in here though.

"I will make him a pillar in the temple of God." That's the hooded cultist. He walked past the bed, checking the wardrobe that I didn't even notice before steadily walking over to my direction. Don't fucking check under the bed.

"And the name of the city of God, which is Temple Gate." It's like they are in a trance. They're repeating Knoth's bible verses over and over again when they don't have anything to say. My arrows point to brainwashing.

"And for Thy pleasure they were and are created." He finally walked out of the damn room, closing the door behind him. Does the door have a lock? It does, this moment can't be any more perfect. I hauled my nervous ass towards the bookshelf once I locked the door, pushing it just enough that I could squeeze through.

Out and safe. That was fucking close. Hopefully, they bugged off for good this time. I paced down the stairs, following the path to god knows where. I don't even know if I'm going in the right direction anymore. Thanks to my brain for initiating another waking dream, I now didn't have a single clue if I was heading in the correct path anymore. I didn't have any time to check either, as I was actively being chased until now, which happened to be in an underground tunnel. Damnit.

So this is where Val and the Heretics met up? To discuss their dreams. I assume they are similar to my recollections of Jessica calling out for me in my sleep, they both have an unbroken theme going on in them. Jessica wasn't even on my mind until I fell asleep in the chopper, and my brain suddenly decided to continuously remind me of her even though I was supposed to move past her death a long time ago.

Where does the bright light come into this? It seems to trigger my memories of Jessica, but the other cultists certainly don't dream about her like me. So what do they dream about? And what selects which memory gets woken up?

I peeked around the support column, setting eyes on a naked woman laying on a bloody bed. Is that Lynn?

"Lynn? Baby?"

No, it wasn't her. Damn. Chairs were placed alongside her, like they were supposed to be watching something. But why would they... I touched the mattress, scooping up something sticky and transparent on my hands. Were they? No, they can't be. She was chained up by her legs, clearly suffering as some sort of prisoner, but there was no one else around but her.

The fuckers were keeping her chained up here and were probably stopping by whenever they felt like it, engaging in intercourse, and rape. But there was no protection around here that I could see, so that meant they inseminated her, and then killed the children she was pregnant with. Oh fuck, I need to help her.

 **Recording**

"I guess this is where the magic happens. Chairs for an audience to watch, I only saw her afterwards. I couldn't have..."

I kneeled beside her once I put away my camera, trying my hardest to undo these chains strapped around her ankles.

"Hey." She wasn't responding. And I couldn't help but notice the buckets of shit and piss stationed near her bed, and wonder why these sick fuckers never even reconsidered their actions for once.

"I'm sorry. I want to help you, and I don't want to hurt you either, but I can't. I'm sorry." I jangled the chains one last time, almost yanking them away in anger before remembering she was still attached to it.

Her legs were strewn with dozens of deep cuts, and I wonder how many diseases she was infected with by now. I wanted to help, but there wasn't a key or anything that could unlock them. Fuck! I paced around the room, trying to find at least something to break them apart. But no, they wouldn't leave something like that here. I kneeled back down, trying to hopefully give her some assurance that I would be back.

"Look, I'm sorry. There isn't anything that I can help you with. I can promise you, I'll get out of here. Call the authorities, someone who can help you. You won't be forgotten." My eyes wandered to the dozens of roman numbers drawn near her bed, counting the days like I did back when I was a kid.

"You've managed to survive up until now, just hold on a little bit longer. This isn't the end of your life, I hope not. Just... embrace them for a little bit longer. Their acts will be avenged." I stood up, staring at her in pity. I could tell that she was just a victim, unable to do anything while they toyed with her privacy.

"I'm sorry." The bookshelf blocking the exit was my only way forward. I pushed it aside easily due to it not having any books inside. The pathway revealed a short pace up some stairs, and quickly stopped in response to another interesting area. The fuck is this? Some sort of well, the bottom of a well. Tons of biomatter were dumped down, some of them impaled by the spikes coming out of the floor.

Well, whoever these people were, my only path through was to shimmy along this ledge, having to watch their lifeless bodies as I proceeded through. Their heads looked like large blobs, and some of them had boobs made out of clay. I'm not even...

Heretics. The Temple Gate cultists dumped down here, for the exact same reason as those nailed Heretics. Both sides are guilty, both sides deserve utter termination from existence. Maybe I cannot change their ways on my own, but my footage can. The world needs to know about this.

Stepping my boots on the other side, a paper on a bible stand stood out, prompting me to pick it up and read through it.

 _God knows what I've done. And he forces my eyes on it when I am weak and when I am scared. It was not my fault that Judah could not swim, nor the lust he felt for me. I would have saved him had I the strength. I do not doubt you God, but please spare me the suffering of such forced dreams even when I do not sleep. I cannot keep watching him drown._

 _Accept my death as penance as I am newly heavy with Papa Knoth's child and wracked with pains such as I have never known. Surely the infant in my womb must be the archfiend for the affliction of nightmares and agonies that fill and surround me. I am yours._

Wait. "Spare me the suffering of such forced dreams even when I do not sleep." Is he talking about the same kinds of dreams I have about Jessica? Apparently, his version is someone he knew drowned, and he couldn't do anything about it. My version is, Loutermilch abused Jessica, manipulated me into that she was safe with him, and shoved her down the stairs. Made it look like she hanged herself. I couldn't do anything about it due to the fact that he threatened to kill my parents if I ever told someone. There's a pattern here.

I walked through the remaining tunnel, finally coming across a ladder that led out of this cramped underground tunnel. Upstairs was another basement, a few beds rolled over on their backs, tables stacked on them. The only furniture that survived was the bookshelf, standing there with almost a smug composure. The only useful things were a battery and another paper stationed between the books. I swiftly inserted the battery into my camera, the fresh new energy source kicking it back to life. Good. I snapped a picture of the note and began reading through it, noting that it was another writing of Val.

 _June 17_

 _I cut the children's throats in dreams and wake filled with sex and appetite. I love you, I am yours. I cut the throats of Knoth's sheep in waking life and sex floods me like the fear of fire in a child. I love you, I am yours. I could fuck and burn the world for all my joy. I love you. I am yours. I will purge this world, soft with rot, of all but ecstasy and terror, so that you may build your throne on the charred remains. I love you, I am yours. I know now as surely as I breath what I never knew of that flaccid, distant God. You love me. I am yours._

Okay, she wants the world destroyed? And Knoth presumably wants to prevent that. I took notice that the date was much later than the other two letters, indicating that Val was already with the Heretics by now.

I climbed up the stairs to the ground floor, almost forgetting that there were still cultists looking for me. I need to be careful. Stealth is my most valued asset right now, I need to use it to its full effect. If I can get to the chapel without attracting anybody, then that's potentially avoiding several injuries and conserving my bandages and battery power.

The room looked normal. A dining table filled with corns, chicken legs, and some milk. The door out to the backyard was barricaded off, also seems normal. My only ticket out of here was to exit through the front door. Shit.

I flicked the door open leading to the front door, almost instantly getting blinded by a flashlight shining through the window.

"He's in the house!"

FUCK! So much for stealth. The cultist began to pummel the front door with his runt physique, alerting the others to my presence. I promptly turned tail and began to head back to the tunnel, stopping dead in my tracks in the sight of another cultist. How did you?

I didn't cover my tracks. I didn't close back all those bookshelves I opened up. How could I be so stupid? I turned back towards the front door, slamming the door shut behind me, turning the lock, and barely managing to sprint past the front door before the its hinges came apart, letting in the cultist as he busted it down. His footsteps shook the whole floor as he followed suit, the fiber of his jacket squeaking together hard enough to reach my hearing.

"Knowledge unbearable to man!"

I raced up the stairs, praying to every deity that might exist for my survival. My heart was pounding inside my chest, knocking the breath of out of my lungs with each beat.

"He's upstairs!"

Fuck, now where? The balcony. I slid under the wooden planks leading out of the house, jumping down the railings without thinking twice. I need somewhere to hide. I broke into a wild dash towards the left, blasting through the shed of the house like a sonic boom.

"Show us what we shall do, to the child unborn!"

Shards of glass came flying towards my face at full force, sweeping through my chin and creating a nice little scar in its trail. They're busting down the windows, shit! I whirled right around and made for the fence separating the house from the outside. Just fuck this place! I vaulted over the wooden fence, taking a left and clearing it through the brief alleyway before diving under a house.

"I got him, he's over here!"

Fuck, they were crawling after me. I hastened my pace, my path determined by the junk strewn around under the house. My body was too tensed up to check behind me, my hopes and wishes the only thing to give me assurance.

"He's crawling under the house like a damn dog!"

I activated my NV after bumping into a few things, not paying attention to all the punishment the camera was receiving. I wasn't away from them yet either, the pursuers hot on my heels were accompanied by more cultists moving around above us. Their steps were pretty easy to trace due to the creaking of the floorboards, but it didn't matter before one of them thrust a pitchfork under the floor, landing it just a foot in front of me. The user swiftly pulled it back up, shouting out curses out like candy.

I swung my head back, spotting another one blast through the wood behind me, landing in front of my pursuer.

"He's over there you fuckwad!" Fuck, this isn't good! I need to get out of here. A third pitchfork came tearing through the planks a few feet in front of me, safely away from stabbing distance.

The exit from under the house was visible. I darted to my feet and began hauling my ass towards the open window into a shed, the lamp inside warmly inviting me into its presumed safe confines. My time was limited before they spotted me again, I leaped up to the window without checking the door first, pulling the rest of my body into the shed.

"Son of a bitch, where in hell!?"

Oh, fuck me! This shed is a complete dead end. Just a door and some brittle floorboards under my feet, literally nothing else.

"He ain't here!"

Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck. There's gotta be some other way out of here! Come on...

"He's gotta be somewhere close!"

The floorboards. It looks like there's a space underneath that I can crawl out of. I began to pound at the floor with my leg, teeth gritted in determination. Come on, how tough can you be?!

"Hey, look in that shed! There's something over there."

One of them began to ram into the door, while the others stabbed their pitchforks through the walls, hoping to somehow catch me. Amidst all the chaos, I was too focused on my task notice the hand through the window feeling around the shed, making contact with my hoodie and almost yanking me towards himself before I blindly hacked at his wrist with my machete.

"Fuckin' deer guts on a doorknob!"

With one last kick, the floor gave in and caused me to plummet a foot down into the tunnel. Okay, I can do this! I began to drag my body out of the shed with all my might, not paying too much attention to their ramblings.

"This fucker's slippery as a greased hog!"

I scrambled to my feet and began bolting it up the path, coming across a window slit into another basement. I need to make it quick, it won't be long before they completely dismantle the shed into pieces. I pushed my body through, landing on the dusty ground with an audible grunt.

Is it over?

Oh fuck. That was too close. I need to be more careful navigating, my carelessness can be my death in this place if I don't drop it soon. I don't where the fuck Lynn is, but the chapel can't be too far from here. Hopefully, I don't run into any more of them.

I flicked open the door out of this room, breathing a sigh of preparation.

What fresh hell am I walking into?


	8. The Apocalypse

Gas. Blood. What's the difference? These people feed off on the latter anyway. I pushed the blood coated gas can aside from my path, causing it to drip gasoline onto the floor. The cigarette is all that's missing now, and I'll be a happy man.

I went through a few rooms, trying to look for a battery or anything else. A chainsaw would be preferred, but why the fuck would they possess a chainsaw if they weren't using it to slaughter more lives? The only thing useful was a letter concealed behind sets of plywood stacked on each other.

 _Marta_ _,_

 _My best beloved, my hound, my  
_ _avenging angel. Val has betrayed  
Temple Gate. Has betrayed God. Has  
betrayed me. Look deep into the heart of  
all you hate and make it violence to  
punish that festering apostate pigfuck.  
Val must suffer and beg for  
forgiveness that you deny. Val must die  
in the darkness utterly devoid of God's  
love. All who have joined Val must die  
begging for mercy you have purged  
from your heart. Let God  
be merciful, you will only be wrath.  
Papa loves you, God forgives you._

 _Knoth_

How nice of Knoth, the prophet of God, to be calling somebody pigfuck. Really sets a good example for aspiring catholics. So Marta is just doing what Knoth is telling him to do, just like the rest of his followers? Either way, they're all sick in the head. I wish all of them hell. The last room also held another letter, this time straight up laying on the grit-filled floor.

 _Paper is precious! Any use otherways than the  
copying of the Gospel of Knoth must be with the  
given permission of a deacon. Theft or wasting of  
paper will be met with blood punishment._

Well, pretty sure you just fucking wasted it. I snapped pictures of the two precious papers, adding them to my camera as I made my way through the narrow corridor, trudging up the stairs to meet with the seeping moonlight of a barricaded window, shining into the dressing room. Children shoes? I picked one up, touching it to feel any blood. No blood, that's surprising. Without giving it too much thought, I opened the lanky duo doors, setting sight to a wrecked classroom. Oh god. The female teacher was slumped over dead on her table, shaky writing on the board behind her.

 _ **Don't be afraid,  
You're going to heaven**_

You don't.

 **Recording**

"Going to heaven. God. Before they killed the children. You should have loved me. I... Okay, what the fuck?" Instead of cutting the recording, I pointed my camera towards the lids of the desks, which were now all simultaneously flipped open like an orchestra.

"Am I losing it?" I stopped the recording, beginning to hear children voices arise from all around the walls. Oh god, I'm turning into a schizophrenic, am I? The front door was barricaded with planks, and I was too nonchalant to try prying them open. Would be easier to break open a window and jump out.

The fuck? When did that become normal?

How did this happen? For all of it to go so wrong. My only available path was to push these duo doors open, revealing a staircase heading up, and hopefully out. I smell something burning. The stairs were leading into a kitchen area, with a single pot currently in the process of scorching a single piece of corn inside. Overstayed your welcome, buddy. Well, no one's here at least... that's something. A few seconds of silence is all I need.

"Blake!" Jessica!

"Where are you, Jessica!?"

 **Try to find me, Blake!**

Ugh. Her voice is omnipresent again. There is no hope. I'm just fucking losing it, and being gullible against my mind. I began to take a look at my surroundings, taking note that I was in the attic due to the fact that I just hit my fucking head. Ow. Other than that, it looked like your typical attic. Although I wonder why a church would have their kitchen up in the attic instead of the basement.

Another letter managed to draw my attention, its glint unmistakeable for anything but a paper that these cultists deemed valuable. I picked it up, taking a picture before sifting through the clean handwriting.

 _AIM: The children should not fear their duty but celebrate it as a guaranteed entrance to Heaven._

 _REMEMBER:_  
 _\- There is no pain in Heaven_  
 _\- Papa gave you life, and so your life is his._  
 _\- God gave you life, and so your life is his._  
 _\- You may not know that you are yourself The Enemy._  
 _\- Your fear is a tool of The Enemy._  
 _\- God knows best._

 _ENGAGE / STUDY_  
 _\- The whale saved Jonah from drowning._  
 _\- Jesus in the desert with Satan._  
 _\- Abraham killed Isaac in his heart._

 _PROJECT_  
 _\- Draw angels._  
 _\- Who could be the Enemy?_

Fucking animals. They had the audacity to teach the children before burning them and dumping them in temples like trash. One thing they were right on, "You may not know that you are yourself The Enemy." Only they missed the joke, it's them. Books were lined up against the wall held bookshelf, most of them consisting of a book titled "The Sixth Miracle" whatever the fuck that means. It's all pretty tame, unlike Knoth... inspiration, maybe. We had these same books. In school. So how did we end up so different?

Just another puzzle of the human mind.

My eyes wandered to the open window, pointing itself to be the source of the faint quantities of wind flowing in. It's a pretty long way down, but might have to take it. Shit. Hesitantly putting my feet down, what I thought would be a controlled jump turned out to be the polar opposite of a controlled jump as I slid off the edge and landed on the grass on my tailbone. Fuck! That hurts...

Oh fuck. That's definitely broken. Oh god, that stings. Why did I do that? I stood up, and fell immediately back down, feeling another surge of pain travel through my body. Shit, I don't think my bandages are going to solve this one. Just gonna have to suck it up.

I tried my best to put my feet below me again, wobbling back and forth to prevent myself from falling again. Okay, what now? In my vicinity was a blocked off gate, and a cart standing near it. Okay, I might be stuck. I wasn't going to climb the gate with my injured tailbone, and the cart...

Might have to push it to get across. But before that, there was a letter standing on top of a wheel that I needed to check out first. The abundance of letters made me raise an eyebrow, and I couldn't help but wonder if that the cultist who said to not waste paper had something to do with it.

 _Mommy-_

 _Miss Carson sed I culd not tel you wut thar gonna do but she did not sae I culd not rite it so plees do not let them kil me. I love you and I love you daddy._

 _Juliana_

It wasn't too hard to translate the kid's language to English. Oh god, the poor kid. Did her parents just approve of this? I put the letter down and stared at the nearly decayed skeleton nailed to a tree, pulling out my camera and starting to commentate.

 **Recording**

"This has been going on for a while. The body has completely decayed. Months, probably years. Kids were being murdered here, just so that tyrant Knoth can trick people into worshipping him. I just don't get it. How can this fuckhead be so effective at brainwashing these poor residents? There has to be some other external force at play here, I just don't buy that Knoth is capable of pulling this sort of thing off all by himself." I shut off the recording, gazing back up at the cart waiting to be pushed over.

I'm going to find out what exactly happened here, by pushing this thing over to that gate. I gripped the handles as hard as I could, starting to exert it near the gate. The crispy fire that was steaming over a barrel gave off an almost noxious stench, quickly revealing itself to be cooking a single human arm. Scents of various spices and what seemed to be mint... reached my nose. Fuck, I just want to get out of here.

"Pray with me." Fuck. Marta. I was too preoccupied with that burning barrel that I didn't notice her waiting for me past the gate with her sinister composure. I stopped the cart dead in its tracks as we locked eyes for few seconds, that eerie feeling taking over me again with her presence. I wanted to open my mouth to say something, but it wouldn't change a damn thing about her opinion of me.

I'm not fucking praying with you.

I was too absorbed in my thoughts to detect that she was already gone. Where the hell? Fuck! Now I can't go over there, it's her territory now. I'll be walking into my own grave while simultaneously making it. But the chapel... and Lynn. I need to. It doesn't even look like there is another way forward, so it's either wait it out until my wife dies or progress and manage to avoid Marta. Instincts say the former, but my morals say the former. It's obvious which I'm gonna take.

Shit. I slowly pushed the cart the rest of the way, quietly hopping on and climbing over the other side of the gate, but not before getting my foot stuck in the barbed wire and tearing out a chunk of my boot in the process. Fuck! I liked those.

What the hell am I thinking about? Lynn is in danger and I'm fucking worrying about my boots. Need to get my priorities straight.

I took a quick look at my surroundings, noting that the praying lady who attacked me before was currently praying near a hanged heretic. Marta didn't seem to be around, and that's always good.

To my left was the bridge from before, but this one didn't have a gap in its middle like the other one that led me into the Heretic temple. Okay. Instead of taking that route, I squeezed into the porch of a wooden house across from my position, stepping on shards of glass and probably causing mild confusion to the bugs as I made my way past.

More heretic corpses, more heads on pikes. No one was there to save them, nobody in a powerful position to stop this madness. That's how it always goes down... I can't let that image out of my head, it's like it ingrained itself in my head since the moment it happened. I'm so sorry.

The winds were picking up. Fuck. Another boom of that bright light might be coming, I need to hurry. I ran past some more corpses and barrels, twisting around a corner and stepping into the main pathway again. I gave a look over to my immediate area, spotting the praying woman now gone, replaced with ghostly silence. I need to keep my eyes open for Marta, she can't be too far.

"Huh?!" An electrical sparkle. Shit. My keen senses were now working against me, prompting me into fight or flight mode in the instance of just a slight change in the environment. Are you kidding me? I still need to keep it in my pants.

Without wandering too much, I headed into a shed containing some farm work equipment. My teeth were gritted in anticipation, waiting for something to happen. I already risked too much by jumping past that gate, this is no time to let myself relax. I need to find a way to get out of this confined town area, maybe find a ladder or something. This could devolve into another cat and mouse chase like my other encounters with her.

There was a note inside a carriage that I almost overlooked, snapping a picture before starting to read.

 _Oh my God, I am heartfully sorry for having offended the Prophet, and I detest those sins because I have offended Thee my God, who is all good and deserving of my love._

 _I deserve and cherish thy punishment and invite more, until the occasion that I am able by Thy grace and the Grace of the Prophet Knoth to sin no more._

Fucking hell. Loving your god so much that you cherish punishment? That's a bit too much... Who am I kidding, this is nothing compared to what I've seen so far.

I pushed the sliding gate open, advancing out of the shed. The ominous cart stood in front of me, almost whispering in my ear and trying to prompt me into pushing itself towards the wall. That's my way out. No ladders needed, just a cart in need of a push. The chapel is just past the wall. Okay, I'm extremely close. I can do this.

"Knoth is the prophet, and Knoth..." Okay, one more obstacle. I clutched the handle with determination, rolling it towards the towering wall separating me from the chapel. Come on, come on!

"God." What the-

"Do you want him?"

Marta! Motherfucker! She emerged from behind the fence, thinking she had enough of a headstart to catch me off-guard, but she was dead wrong. Whirling around, I slid under the small gap in the wooden fence, throwing my legs first and recouping the rest of my body a second later. Not fucking today bitch.

The fence certainly wasn't going to block her. I was sure of it. I made for the back alley of the house, hoping to lose her and push the cart when she's still looking for me.

I fumbled with my camera, almost releasing it from panic before pressing the NV option. This area is too dark, and I haven't used my new battery much. I can afford to waste it.

Fuck, where to hide? The only place that I could hide was inside the barrel, the damn thing lacked a lid. Combine that with her height, and I'd be like a gazelle thinking it was hidden well.

I threw myself behind the barrel, ceasing all sounds as I turned on my microphones and listened in. She didn't seem to be following, but I couldn't detect her breathing or chanting anywhere. This is bad, this is bad. I was finally there, and then she had to...

I need to get back to push. I slowly peeked my head out, ready to thrust it back behind the barrel. The microphones started to pick up her bare feet footsteps, creaking some kind of wood under her. She's out there, searching for me. I need something to distract her with, but how?

She's waiting. She knows it's my only way. I began to tiptoe towards the fence, taking a frightened step back when her blurry figure skimmed past the gap in the fence. You keep on walking. That gap wasn't there before...

Oh, fuck me. People are having the time of their lives right now, celebrating their birthday, going on dates with their crushes, texting on their beds. And here I am, caught in the middle of a madness party and currently playing hide and seek with a fucking mutant.

Her footsteps were hard to pick out amongst all the wind brushing past, and I doubt that she gave up the hunt yet. Can't see me in the dark, can you?

But you can wait.

I can wait too. I turned off my NV and diverted all power to my microphones, stopping my panicky breathing to locate her position. Come on, just expose yourself. I don't have all day.

I thought I was in the clear to push the cart, but was quickly proven wrong by catching a glimpse of her foot skim past the gap. Oh god, I can't get past. She's literally patrolling the area of the cart, I can't go out there. I'm gonna have to lead her away, somehow. Even if that involves using myself as bait.

I'm gonna have to go back to the shed with the sliding gate, where I came from. Let her spot me, then run back to here and hopefully lose her before pushing this cart over to the wall. It's my only hope of getting past.

I began to head back, taking the alleyway behind the houses this time. The winds were really picking up. I couldn't tell if it was signaling the approach of the deafening bright light, or something else. Fuck, I don't know shit. Taking a right between the verandas, I noticed the lack of her footsteps patrolling the cart. Oh god, was she gone? I need to make it quick.

"AAHHHH!"

FUCK! The sound of her footfalls strengthened as she began to leg it for me with all her might, not giving me time to reconsider my actions before I whirled around like a mad dog, drifting towards the right and hauling ass towards the cart to push. How the fuck did she do that?! Goddammit!

Agh, dammit bitch! I dashed towards the cart, crashing my ribs into the handle as I began to thrust the thing towards the wall, glancing behind as I did to check on her. I only have a few seconds left before she catches up, come on!

"UAAHH!"

Fuck, I don't have enough time! I rushed to the front of the cart, trying to guess if she's going left or right to reach me.

"Alright, you want to play?"

I bustled towards the gap in the fence she created, swinging my head back to see her doing the same. Fine, I can outrun you, fucker. I took the same route as I did last time, not paying attention to her screams as I circled around the houses, sprinting the full length of the alley way and coming back to the cart once again. Alright, this is my chance! If she didn't think to cut me off, I have enough time to push this to the wall.

"AAAHHHHHH!"

Almost there, a little further. Come on come on come on! The cart finally pressed against the overhead wall as I jumped forward, dodging a hay bale before hurling myself up the ledge. She wasn't close, was she? I can-

"Earthquake flames thunder!"

She snagged my right hand away from the ledge, trying to pull me away with all of her power. My left hand was practically clamped on the wooden ledge, resisting her strength by its own. Just leave me the fuck alone!

"Get off!"

I managed to free my leg, thrusting it towards her face as she stumbled away, finally letting me go. I took the brief opportunity without missing a beat, hauling my body over the edge before crashing to the ground with a grunt. Her pained groans reached my ears from the other side, filling me with a sick pleasure consisting of justice and revenge.

"I don't know what the fuck your god wants from me, lady."

I picked up my fallen camera from the ground before stumbling away, remembering my tailbone injury from before. That's gonna have to heal.

Fuck, I did it. I somehow managed to get past her, without sustaining any major injuries. Al-fucking-right. It should be relatively easy to get to the chapel from now on, just have to navigate this little section of houses in the path of the chapel. I'm coming, Lynn. I just hope you are somewhere I can get to. I've managed to survive this far, luck has been on my side. Just hope it doesn't change its mind.

Heading up a brief inclination, a small bike and a hanged corpse emerged in my view, both representing the total opposite sides of life. Just ignore it, Blake. On my right was a small cabin with an unlocked door, revealing... nothing of value. Dining table and a single bunk with a few child dolls placed in it. I don't even have a reaction anymore, the fuckery is so overdone that my brain has already begun to filter it out, just after a few hours.

This place is sickness. It's the perfect breeding ground for creating insane people. It happens slowly at first; A word of Knoth manages to reach you, and you get introduced to his line of bullshit. You hear it's a safe haven from civilization, someplace to live a quiet life. The townspeople also maybe mention you about the Gospel of Knoth, how it's true and all that crap. Maybe you get sucked into it, maybe you don't. You decide to bring your wife and kids and rent one of these cabins. But you are quickly forced into a life or death question: Do you accept to worship Knoth, or just ignore and continue to live without disturbing anybody. You think you have a choice, but in reality, you don't. You either become one of these religious zealots or end up as one of those corpses laying on the streets.

But how? How did Knoth ever convince them in the first place? There's a major piece of the story I'm missing here. Something is affecting these people and causing them to pray to Knoth. And Knoth doesn't seem like a person who could force such a huge population to give in to his cult, no matter how charming or convincing sounding he is. So what's the reason?

I gave out a drawn-out sigh, heading into another room and paying immediate attention to the faint signs of light seeping off the sides of that bookshelf. It's painfully obvious, you think they might've tried to hide it better. The bookrack sounded out an ear grinding screech before moving out of my way, revealing a secret room containing... blood. Nothing else. And a wet note standing above the red puddle. Fuck, I have to read that. I irked at first, but managed to collect enough courage to pick it up, but only while holding it from the very far end of its corner. It was another part of Val's "journal," if you can call it that. This was written on the same date as the other note, but riddled with terms I didn't know.

 _June 17_

 _Tell me more. Give me more. You have a thousand names and I know none of them. I know it is not God. I know it is not Yahweh, nor Ezekiel, nor any dog leashed to that gas-bloated corpse, swollen on the heat of his own shit and rotting meats. Give me pleasure. Fuck me and cut my skin. Burn me and caress me. I am a membrane seeking penetration. Be aroused at my awe. Let my fear give you appetite. I love you, I love you, I love you. Tell me what you want. Tell me your name and I am yours._

This... doesn't make any sense. Who is she talking to? Who is her god? It's obvious she's not an atheist, so what is it? And why does Knoth even want to kill the Antichrist, that is apparently Lynn's baby, in the first place? Is there something else I am not aware of?

Mentally shrugging at her thoughts, I quickly bolted out of the house, remembering that the chapel was just around the corner. I turned towards the hanged corpse, doing a double take once I realized its head snapped to the left, facing me. It continued to stare deep, deep into my soul. I felt like it was. I stood there for a moment, remembering to pick up my jaw just as I realized I was literally standing there like an idiot, staring at the corpse with my mouth agape. How the fuck did you...

No matter. I weaved my head to the left, finally meeting face to face with the damn building.

The chapel.

 **Recording**

"The chapel. A chapel is supposed to be sanctuary. But I know for a fact that this one isn't. My job is to check if a Heretic is there, and then interrogate them. If it's empty, then I'll just have to wait. Just like I did when..." I put the camera down, examining the towering building with awe. This is one of the only times where I've really been admiring nature for what it is. My job usually involves checking out some industrial place, and I don't really have the time to take a hiking trip up a mountain and just take it all in. This has been a nice chance to do that.

Oh hell, what the fuck am I saying? My wife is captured and I'm in the worst possible situation imaginable, I'm lucky to get some quiet time every now and then. My body has sustained some nasty stuff, and I don't have enough bandage to cover it all up. Keep moving.

Before heading into the chapel, I decided to cut left towards the bleeding Mary statue, my main attention diverted towards the three graves marked by three individual crosses. In the middle of them stood a sign:

 ** _Our dear soldiers. They died with honor, and God shall be with them forever_**

Okay. I averted my attention to the piece of paper placed on a bible stand, facing the three graves like it was supposed to be for them. Instead, it was just another set of verses of a religious song.

 _These bones were marked by the sin of Cain._  
 _Rest in earth till you rise again._  
 _Lord use my jaw as a club of bone._  
 _Pay my debt for the sin of my birth._  
 _Hell won't wait, what a wicked earth._  
 _Stand you guard by your heart and hand,_  
 _Be fit to kill the Devil in the Good Lord's land._  
 _Oh, Zion... Oh, Zion..._

Also just okay. They didn't add a whole lot to the whole situation, just repeating what I already knew. Can't waste too much time either. I jogged back to the chapel, standing in front of it again to admire its sight. The windows gave off a surprisingly soothing quantity of light to the outside world, piercing through the fogs building up in the area. I was still in anticipation due to the booming bright light. It hadn't shown itself in a while since the time when it killed all the birds. I wasn't missing it or anything, but it was just odd.

The fences dictated which area of ground I needed to take, and didn't take much resistance from me as I followed. I took the mellow approach going up the stairs, putting my feet lightly on the steps. I need to be quiet. There's a high chance someone might be already in there. I reached for my machete, keeping my hand clamped tight in it as I slowly twisted the doorknob, pushing the duo doors open and biting my lip from all the stress put on me. Let's hope Knoth isn't in here.

Speak of the devil. His smug picture or drawing was framed on the wall, so enlarged that it was the first thing anyone saw just after entering. Fucking asshole. Two double doors stood on either side, both leading into the same room.

"Uahh..." Is that a voice? Shit. I gently closed the door behind me, pulling out my camcorder and turning on the microphones. The man was groaning, either from extreme pain or intercourse, I couldn't tell.

The bleeding Mary decoration stood on a fancy counter, a note accompanying it. The paper was chapped to all hell, while the writing looked like someone tried to draw blocks while writing. It wouldn't be too much of a stretch to think that this letter wasn't written in Temple Gate.

 _TO THE REVEREND PROPHET SULLIVAN KNOTH FROM LAIRD BYRON AS RECORDED BY NICK TREMBLAY_

 _THANK YOU FOR THE EXTRA COPIES OF YOUR GOSPELS, I HAVE GIFTED THEM TO THOSE AMONG MY FLOCK WITH THE BRAINS AND EYES STILL INTACT SO THAT THEY MAY READ. BUT WE ARE IN NEED OF MORE SACRAMENTAL BOTH FOR DRINKING IN COMMUNION AND FOR COMFORT FROM OUR PAINS AND DISINFECTION OF OUR SORES. MY FLOCK COMPLAINS THAT YOU HAVE PROMISED MORE THAN GIVEN, AND THOUGH I CAN QUITE EASILY CONTROL THEM BY THE FIRM TENOR OF MY VOICE AND THE HEAVY FIST OF MY MOUNT, I PREFER THE GENTLE PATH._

 _YOU ARE MOST BELOVED OF GOD AND A HOLY GIFT TO US ALL._

 _LAIRD_

Brains and eyes still intact? Disinfection of sores? The Scalled. This must be their leader or something, Laird. I don't what they are, but they seem like they work for Knoth, and that's enough for me to consider them enemies. Still though, brains and eyes still intact? What kind of sores are we talking about here?

The man inside let out another cry of pain, snapping me back to my current situation. Okay, I need to go inside. I took the right doors, peeking my head to see what was happening.

Oh fuck. The man was tied on some kind of giant wheel, the words 'Judas' were carved into his chest, fresh blood oozing out of them. I zoomed in more, noticing that his eyes were also forcefully removed, rendering him completely blind. Okay, he won't even know I'm there. I swung the door open, stepping inside while examining the inside of the chapel.

Dozens of chairs were set out, facing some kind of throne. Is that Knoth's? Does he have a fucking throne all for himself? Ugh. Two confessional booths were laid out beside each other, not containing anything inside. Beside the man chained up was a guillotine, clearly intended for torture purposes. This looked more like the throne room of a medieval castle more than a chapel. So as the 'Modern Ezekiel,' is he recreating what a chapel would look like in the middle ages? Then what's the point of being a Modern Ezekiel in the first place?

He's insane. That should be all the answer to all illogical things in this place. They're all fucking insane. I moved in closer to the blind man, noticing the pile of both Heretic and Knoth's men crammed together, some of them with their guts torn out of their stomachs. This guy seemed lucky in comparison.

"Mary?" Fuck, he heard me! Don't make a sound.

"Knoth?" Is he a Heretic? He seems like it.

"Who's there? Who are you?!"

"My name's Blake." No point in drawing it out any longer. If he's a Heretic, and nobody else is here, this is the perfect opportunity to get him to spill Lynn's location.

"The outsider. The father."

"Look, I'm not anybody's father. I just want to know where my wife is. Tell me, and I'll set you-"

"Kill me. You have to kill me." Wait, what?

"I just want to know where-"

"Knoth is coming back. With Mary. He'll hurt her and I'll talk." Fuck, just tell me!

"If you kill me, he won't have reason to hurt her. Please..."

Okay, I'm not getting anything out by just talking. But he doesn't mind dying, how can I make him feel threatened? I pulled out my machete and began to gently rub it up his leg, making him know that I had something sharp in hand.

"Work with me here. You tell me where my wife is, and I'll find some way to set you and your wife free. I promise." I wasn't going to keep my promise. I just need Lynn's location.

"You don't scare me." He replied with a monotone tone, not flinching in the slightest.

"Really? So, you don't mind if I..." I dug the machete into his already injured leg, making him yell out in pain. Fuck, I didn't want to do this, but everyone here has been treating me like shit ever since I crashed here. I need to repay the favor back. They fucking deserve it.

"The secret won't break out." He groaned, still not eager to tell me. Fuck! This is hopeless, I need to come up with something.

"I'm not going to do anything with the baby. I just need to know my wife's whereabouts. I swear, I swear I'm not going to tell anybody else. Please tell me..."

I expected a reply for a few seconds, feeling a vein pop in my neck once I realized he wasn't interested in talking back anymore.

"Look, if you don't tell me, Knoth and his men will do much worse things to you and your wife. I don't want to kill you, nor want your wife to die. So just please cooperate with-"

The front doors abruptly swung open without warning, several footsteps soon following behind. Someone's coming. But I still haven't learned Lynn's location!

"We'll continue this later."

Without saying another word, I lunged towards one of the confessional booths, flinging it open and throwing myself in. That was close. The second doors flung open, promptly letting the wide array of cultists in. Some of them wore black robes while some were normal cultists, one of them wielding an axe. That's the first time I've seen a weapon like that in this place.

Cries of a female. I was too focused on this beast of a man that entered to pay any mind to the voice in distress. The cultists seemed to be positioned around him, every step he took I felt it in my bones. The hair on his forehead was absent, and a large dried incision crossed his left eye, giving it a blue color instead of brown.

I snapped my attention back to the voice, revealing itself to be coming from a woman stripped naked down to her private parts, her back grinding against the floorboards as the cultists dragged her by her ankles. The acoustics of this confessional was weird, amplifying faint sounds and giving me a panic attack overtime someone took a step too close to my position. The woman was set down on the torture device, her ankles and wrist firmly trapped under the confines of rusty chains.

"We found her, Josiah. Trying to flee 'mongst The Scalled."

That voice. I recognize it. Several more cultists followed behind him, machetes ready like bodyguards.

 ** _The Enemy's passover, is begun_**

It's him, Knoth. He's standing in front of me, unaware that I'm right here.

Good. I wouldn't want to be the one on that rack right now.

"Not the actions of a woman unburdened by an immaculate conscience."

He sat down on the seat beside the confessional I was in, facing the back of his head directly towards me. I can stab him in the neck through this hole, right now. But I can't. Not if I don't want to blow my cover. I winced away from him as far as I could, even though the space inside was very limited. I felt safer, and that was a good enough reason to do it.

"Mary? Oh god."

The cultists were patrolling around the room, occasionally passing by the confessional booths, waving a flashlight in one of them before I ducked and avoided their line of sight.

"Answer your yokemate honey, he can't see you."

I turned to stare at the follower with the axe, standing right beside Josiah. Shit, they aren't going to kill him, are they? I still need him to spill Lynn's location.

"It's me, Josiah. Please, tell them that I don't-"

"Let her go! Oh god, Mary. I'm sorry. I didn't want..."

Knoth suddenly rose up from his seat, raising a finger and signaling everyone to hush.

"God hates vanity. So do I!"

One of the followers flicked open the other confessional booth, intently staring at the vacant space before shutting it back. I reminded myself that I wasn't an invisible observer, and I could very much be found and killed at this very moment if they did open the confessional door. They were insane and religious, and that was apparently a good enough reason to get my brain smashed in.

"The outsider woman has this world's destruction, in her womb! But Val and his apostates stole away the unborn enemy. The fiend's father is escaped!"

Just go. Just go. The hooded follower shone his flashlight in my booth, walking up to the handle and getting ready to twist it open. Oh god! NO! I prepared my machete, ready to run. There wasn't a mind trick under my sleeve that I could use in order to stray him away from the door, unfortunately. Fuck! My left hand was still free, so I used it to hold the door handle shut with all my strength, grasping it harder in my clutches until beads of sweat came rolling down my fingers. I was practically trembling as he rattled the door, yanking it harder and harder, but I managed to keep the door still until he gave up, giving him the conclusion that it was jammed or something.

"She will bear her filthy yield before dawn!"

After the brief danger had passed away, I returned my attention back to Knoth, spying the unnerving scene unfold before my eyes, behind a set of holes.

"We have only these few hours to find her and kill her and save this paradise from hell everlasting."

The overweight preacher walked closer to him, every step he took shaking the whole floor. I struggled to find any hope that this man would live after this 'confrontation.' They were going to kill him and I wouldn't get any answers.

"Where is she? Where did Val take her?"

"I can't. I can't."

It took a moment to notice the crank beside the torture device, ready to turn at any moment under the command of the cultist in charge of controlling it. Limbs held in place with chains, which extended all the way to the top and bottom of the guillotine. It's some sort of pulling mechanism, designed to stretch the victim until their joints split in two

"This is for you, Josiah."

He turned the man's head towards his wife, his vacant eyeholes soaked with blood that and dried months ago.

"Make the woman scream."

Her gut-wrenching screams followed right after, the cultist continuing to twist the crank until Knoth told him to stop. I could feel the bones splinter under the pressure of the chains, the skin above already snapped apart and exposing flesh and bone. Why are they doing this? What are they hoping to accomplish?

"Where is the woman? The womb that harbors the Antichrist?!"

The woman? Is he talking about Lynn? He mentioned the Antichrist, the womb that harbors it.

 _ **She has a child in her belly**_

It all made sense. The torturing. The constant remarks Knoth made about Lynn. He's trying to learn the same thing as me, her location. So that means...

The cultist stopped, turning to Josiah for an answer. Just tell them! I gritted my teeth in anticipation, squeezing hands into fists. Josiah wasn't interested in telling anything, but that just made Knoth more furious. He motioned the cultist to twist the crank even more, giving the poor woman more agony to overcome. I want to help them, but I can't. Not unless they tell where Lynn is. Her breasts ripped in two, and her legs soon followed. The zoom feature revealed veins exposed to the outside, leaking crimson blood onto the wood. Creak after creak, I could feel the strain the wood underneath her body weight was under. The chains were too tight, and if they pulled anymore, it just might collapse under her weight.

"Strength in the rebellious angel, for the child unborn, I have no fear. Strength in the rebellious angel, I have no fear."

He was starting to repeat religious phrases, trying to resist while his wife was having her joints torn out one by one. I watched as my mouth stood agape, on a dangling rope between the decision to look away or watch. Knoth wasn't a merciful man. He didn't even flinch as the pained screams reached his ears, continuing to watch the sight before him like he was proud of it.

"Strength! The enemy of my enemy, enemy of my enemy, enemy of my enemy, enemy of my-"

"Tell Josiah to make it stop."

Spill you fucker! Please! Tell them! Tell me!

"-enemy of my enemy, enemy of my enemy!"

He stopped, turning towards his wife who was practically dead. Twitches were the only movement she made, her eyes stuck in place, unable to move. She looked old, nearing into fifty years old. I wonder if she did things that made her deserve this fate, to die under the constraints of a simple rack. The problem was, I didn't care one bit. As long as the husband told them Lynn's location, I couldn't give any care to these random worshippers I just met.

"GAAAH! Stop! Stop! I'll tell you... please, stop."

The man was struggling with his chains, trying to get them free. Knoth pounded his gigantic foot on the floor, giving silence to the whole room. I felt the silent crack give out from the wooden planks, barely keeping it together while the atrocity above them unfolded.

"Where is the woman? WHERE DID VAL TAKE HER!?"

Oh shit. The cultists are interested in the confessionals again. They waved their flashlights back and forth, prompting me to get on my knees, away from the holes exposing me to their line of sight. Only gurgled audio reached my camera as I fired up the microphones, nothing but a snitch telling them my location. It stayed shut as I listened to what they were doing.

"I'm sorry, Mary. I'm so sorry."

"Where is the woman?!"

He ceased his struggles, giving out a meek whimper before starting to speak.

"The mines. Up the mountain. Val has her in the mines." The words rang through my mind multiple times, ingrained into my memory and never to be forgotten. The mines. That's where they fucking took her to.

"You'll never get her back! Not before the birth!"

I don't know about them, but you can count me out of that list. I'm on my way, Lynn. As soon as they leave, expect nothing but a straight beeline to your location.

"We are the hands of the Lord, we cannot fail."

He extended his arms out in confidence, a smug grin appearing on his face. The woman was still in pain, growling, meek and nearly dead. I wondered if they would finish her, or leave her to suffer until she bled out.

"The world will die screaming."

"Thank you, Josiah. That's enough."

He shrugged him off with his hand, preparing to make his leave. It wasn't long before the cultist wielding the axe tested his unique weapon on Josiah, taking a few swings towards his chest until the man went limp. Blood splashed across the followers's chest as he wiped them on his axe, cracking his neck before turning to Knoth for an order.

"Give the woman rest."

Knoth began to head out of the room, going towards the door which presumably led to the back area of the chapel where one of his followers had it ready open for him. They gave the crank a final twist, causing the woman to let out a final cry of pain as her entire chest began to split in two, only stopping when she ceased all bodily functions and was deemed dead by the minds of anyone who was in this room. I gawked in shock as I watched Knoth leave, pushing aside a follower as he hobbled through the open doorway.

They were both dead.

* * *

The mines. Where the fuck are the mines!? God fucking dammit! I didn't even know that a mine existed out here. Where the hell am I going to find it? It's probably miles away. I watched as the final set of cultists left the chapel, closing the door behind them.

It's finally silent. Okay. I pushed the confessional door open, gently shutting it before examining the area.

 **Recording**

"They always... hurt women to punish men." I turned the camera towards the husband, zooming in on his chest. "It's sick. It's cowardly."

I got what I came here for. Lynn's location. She's in the mines. My next step now should be finding out where the mines are. And that's pretty much impossible unless I ask someone directions, but they weren't doing me any favors. And what was this that Knoth talked about? The apocalypse? So that's why they want Lynn's baby dead. It's gonna bring the end of the world. They apparently have only a few hours to find her, so that means...

I gazed down at my watch, finding the time to be only 1:30 AM. Give me a fucking break. No way she's giving birth by the morning. I know my biology enough.

Maybe they're heading out to the mines, I should follow them. I rattled the doorknob, muttering a few curses under my breath in response to the locked door. Shit. I can't follow them, so what the fuck am I gonna do? I need to find Knoth again, maybe he's going to order some cultists to head to the mines. That's pretty much my only chance.

Fuck.

No way out but the front door. I trudged back to the doorway, sighing in exhaustion due to everything that has been happening to me. I'm not fit for this situation. I'm just a cameraman pitted against impossible odds. Knoth has whole factions under his control, with cultists ready to hack and slash at anyone who Knoth doesn't like. What do I have? This camera, Ethan's machete, and... my sanity, I suppose. No. The last one is good enough, they're all insane. I can't imagine wanting to be them.

"Hey, stop! The outsider! He's in the chapel!"

The door Knoth made his exit through smashed open as the robed cultists made themselves welcome inside, their attention strictly focused on my dumbass standing at the doorway, gawking at their sudden appearance like a jackass. By the time he finished his sentence, I was already out, slamming the door shut after me and breaking into a wild dash as I began to race down the stairs out of the chapel. Oh fuck, spotted again! I wasted no time before swaying my head to the back, the front doors violently bursting open and revealing the gang of cultists out for my blood.

"Hey! Hey! The outsider! He was in the chapel!"

I returned to stare at my path, making a run through the small village I recently explored. Shit, how am I gonna hide? I vaulted over some sort of stick balanced on two logs, dodging a few more obstacles along the way. They're closing in! The village that I had priorly explored was now just a momentary blur as I breezed past it, my eardrums ringing in response to their ramblings from after my trail.

"Son of a bitch is slicker than owl shit!" The gate is open! I cleared it down the descending path, thrusting myself at the handle of the sliding gate as I began to push it out of my path. Come on, come on!

Ungghh! Fuck it! I'll just squeeze through. I shot a quick glance behind me as I made it past the gate, trying to find the handle to close it back.

"The fury of the Lord comes upon me!" Too fucking late! The cultist managed to almost graze me on the shoulder before I whirled around, pretty sure that I had created a wave of wind in my path.

Staggering into the building, I drifted to the left with my heel, almost tripping on the moist blood underneath my feet before getting things under my own terms. Shit shit shit! They're right behind me! I quickly made my way around a counter holding various weapons. The constant bobbing of the camcorder made it hard to pinpoint obstacles in my way, so I promptly hit my shoulder against a piece of plywood as it cracked with the sudden impact, almost sending the whole shelf full of weapons directly on my head. The cultists weren't that far behind, I could only hope the weapons landed on them.

I kicked open the door leading out the building, swiftly slamming it shut behind me before as I began to haul ass up the stairs to what seems like a water tower.

"He's climbing the water tower!"

I took a quick glance down the stairs, revealing the open doorway letting all the cultists storm out after my tail. Oh fuck, they're right there! Go go go go! Fuck this, fuck me, fuck all of me! I twisted around a corner, dashing up another staircase before reaching the top of the tower. Their flashlights blipped in and out of view between the steps as I thrust my foot over them, finally coming to an end. What separated me from freedom was just a gap.

Oh, come on! I readied myself for the jump, huffing in and out in rapid succession. Okay, leap or die! I sprang up from the floor, choking as I hit the edge and skid backwards. A horrible yawn came from the wood underneath my grip, and I thought for a second that it would collapse, but it held. I dug my fingertips into the timber as I hauled myself up, hastily trampling away from the edge with my arms.

My foot managed to knock over a stick bracing a few metal plates on the air as I crawled away, casting them behind my path and effectively blocking any cultists who tried to jump after me.

"Hey! The outsider's over the yon, heading into the corn!"


	9. Road to The Mine

The door into the shed squeaked open as the cultists got ready to walk all the way back, their heads tilted down in disappointment. Okay, fuck, I gotta keep moving. Who knows where are they going to. Maybe they're going to tell Knoth my location and send some more cultists after me. I could follow them and find Knoth that way, but these metal plates weren't moving two inches without the handling of some beefy muscles. I just have to go the opposite way, then. I snatched a battery laying on a low height wooden chair, placing it in my breast pocket where it would soon be used.

I flipped open the visor of my camera, beginning my observation towards the path I had to take. Towards the left stood a door, my way into the small cabin. Probably was going to be where I would progress once I jumped down. Past the barbed wire fence was a bleeding Mary statue, illuminated by a warm looking campfire underneath a barrel. Right behind the statue was a cornfield situated behind the chain locked gate and trapped behind wooden fences. The sight flooded me with mildly unpleasant memories, especially the one where I had to hide in the murky water and was forced to gulp it down to delay drowning.

The crazy fuckers managed to ruin cornfields for me permanently.

Fortunately, there didn't seem to be a way in, so I could just stay out of its path. The final edifice that dragged my attention was some sort of... factory? I squinted my eyes, hoping to make out some sort of activity, but it was just too far away. I couldn't make out anything worthwhile that would let me know what it was. Don't know if that's the mines, but it seems like a good enough lead. My only lead actually. It's directly on my path, so I don't have to find a way around or anything. No Knoth needed either.

Breathing out my frigid puff of air, I jumped down from the water tower, landing on some wheat stalks. I began to notice that the area was actually fenced in via barbed wire, so I had no way out but climb. And that'd certainly mess up my hands beyond repair. Fuck! I paced around the enclosed area of grain crops, crunching them up under my boots as I desperately tried to find a way out. Come on, there has to be something!

"Utter a parable unto the rebellious house." I came to a halt as the mumblings of someone reached my ears, prompting me to divert my gaze past the barbed wire. It was a cultist, rocking back and forth in his chair, not really paying attention to anything but the crispy fire giving out smoke up to the atmosphere. Just waiting. Maybe for me, maybe for something else. I can't be sure. I turned back and continued my search out of here, letting out a relieved sigh as I set eyes on a gap in the white boarded fence, big enough for me to pass through. Okay, let's do this.

Picking up my body from the ground, I took a brief second to glance back at the cultist, nodding in gratification. He doesn't see anything yet, that's good. The door into the house which I saw from up the tower was within arms reach, waiting for me to twist the doorknob. I hope this is the way forward.

The door gave a soft click as the mechanisms loosened, allowing me to push it open and step inside. The misty and slightly rotten smelling air almost immediately presented itself to me, prompting me to block my nose with my arm as I progressed. Oh god, what fucked up shit does this house contain? Find out in the next episode of Temple Gate!

Heh.

"Go to sleep, you little baby." That voice... I turned on my microphones, trying to determine how close the voice was.

"Suffer child." I slowly trekked into the empty doorframe, peeking out over the corner. Oh shit, what did I walk into? I was itching to gag a few times, but I quickly managed to subdue myself, covering my mouth shut.

It was a woman holding a baby doll, rocking it back and forth like it was alive. Singing to it. Behind her stood open coffins, containing half rotten kids who looked to be about six years old. Oh god, it smells fucking terrible. I just want to take a shower. I took the camcorder out, pressing record and filming the unique sight. I can't imagine that this place looks much better in the daylight.

"One day you'll wake up in heaven..." Jesus. I snagged a bandage situated on one of the counters, near a set of red candles almost burnt out. My instincts told me to just walk past her and bolt out of that door, but a small part of me wanted to comfort her. It didn't seem like she had much of a part to play in this, but was instead mourning her dead children.

"Black and pale." No. I can't risk it. All of these people are unhinged and unpredictable. I can't trust anybody, even if they seem friendly. That should be my golden rule for this place.

I quietly walked past her, staring at the flimsy looking piece of wood with pity. She's long gone, I need to get out of here. I clicked open the door without making too much noise, gently shutting it behind as I turned to focus on my current path. Okay. An open window pane leading outside.

"He was right behind you goddammit!" What the fuck?

"They told me he was heading for the corn, look around!"

Dammit, they're in the fields. I've got to head out there, it's my only way. In the distance stood some sort of water mill, still active by the looks of it. It's gonna have to be my way out of Temple Gate, but I'll have to pass the cornfield if I want to get there. Shit, what's with me and cornfields? Alright. I flipped open the window, hopping through and setting my boots on the mushy sand. Looks like they take care of their crops.

Okay, I can get through this. Same strategy as last time. Hide among the stalks. I crouched low enough to touch the floor, penetrating into the crops like an insect. I'm smarter and saner than them, just have to be careful. Stay quiet. I decided to stick near the wooden fence, surely I'll come across a gap or something. Oh fuck, this stuff is thick as hell. I struggled to push them out of the way once I kneeled up, a few leaves managing to get in my mouth before I blew them away.

"Something's moving around over there, go check it out!" God fucking shit. I began to hasten my pace, stepping closer to the barbed wired wooden fence. Okay, this isn't working. Instead, I opted for the harder path, moving away from the fence and promenading through the middle. More ways to get away.

"I will be the edge of God's knife."

Several clicks prompted a dozen flashlights to be shined towards my direction, swaying back and forth in order to search for me. Oh fuck, this is getting worse. Just how wide is this damn cornfield?

The stalks rustled behind my trail as they followed suit, getting drawn in by the ruckus I was making. I need to be more quiet, but these crops are also very pointy. I'm bound to get a few cuts if I just ignore them. Fuck. The fence intersected with another one heading to right, towards a distant source of light. Shit, it's my best shot, but there are more men there. Come on, anything? No gap in the fence?

They're going away. Good. I stopped for a moment to cease the movement of the crops disrupting my microphones, and listened them babble about something I couldn't decipher, their voices now one with silence. I continued onwards, my mind left with confusion as I began to pick out the remote stench of cyanide, overpowering any other smell by a large margin. I didn't care where it was from, or why it was there. My only focus is to get out of this area, they're practically stalking the fields like vultures looking for rotten meat.

Okay, I should be getting close to the end. The glow of a overhanging lamp highlighted an area where the crops ended, the water mill just up ahead. Towards the light.

"Ezekiel. Papa Knoth. He alone given ears to hear."

I came to an abrupt halt right near the end of the field, my mouth slightly agape in response to the faint voice. My microphones couldn't pinpoint where the mumblings where coming from, even when I could hear them with my ears alone. Shit, gonna have to pick my moment then. More ruckus inside the field became audible, but far enough that they weren't a threat right now. Okay, on three. One, two...

NOW! I sprang up from my position and shot up the path, not bothering to glance behind me. Come on, the door into the water mill is just up here! All the machinery was still active, and it seemed to be doing its primary job, which was to pour the water into the small river where it would turn into energy. I swiftly hopped through it, barreling into the door left ajar with my arm and slamming it shut behind me. Okay, inside and presumably safe for now. I took the brief moment to lock the door, ensuring that whoever decided to wander in would have to break it down to enter.

They're still looking for me out here, not aware that I already made my way out. Good, this would be problematic if they found me and chased me into here. I turned tail and began to pace through the narrow corridor, heading for the empty doorframe into another area. The corridor was filled with sacks, and a few chairs lined up against the cough-inducing walls. Don't they have workers who dust off these places?

The humming of the water transporting machinery greeted me once I made my way past, the water trickling down into zero with each ticking second. Okay, time to find a way through. I first tried the duo doors directly to my left, snapping them open with a twist to the doorknob. The humid and chalky air was enough of a motivator to quickly scout the room and make my hasty leave. More sacks gave the room its cramped feeling, accompanied by a table hosting a crank and some empty ammo boxes. Ammo boxes? Out here? I guess it's reasonable that they would get rid of anything that had to do something with guns. They're going for brutality, and guns usually deliver the opposite of a brutal death. Come to think of it, I would be utterly screwed if they used guns as means of hunting me down.

Past the muddy window was an empty doorframe, leading out of the mill and to the other side where I wanted to go. But how do I get there? There isn't a door. The only way through would be to somehow slip past the functioning grinder, but you'd have to be an insect or be able to pass through objects if you wanted to get through.

Unless...

I quickly dashed out of the room, heading to the grinder that I just saw out of the window. Nope, I can't crawl through in time. it's just too fast, as evidenced by this guy with half of his body missing. There has to be someway I can deactivate it, but how and where?

Several cranks were situated on the ceiling, all of them connected via some type of pipe system. That's how they must be transporting the water around the building. Maybe I can follow where the pipe ends, and turn it off that way? Seems like a good enough guess. I quickly unlocked the door in front of me, glancing at the pipes every now and then to see where they led. Okay, I need to hurry, no telling when they'll be back. Past the door was some sort of outside area, maybe reserved for staff break. I diverted my attention back to the pipe, following it along with my eyes until it reached the end. It looks like the water keeps the equipment going, so turning off the water means stopping the grinder.

Okay, not really ending anywhere, but there was a platform near it that I could take a staircase up to. There has to be a control panel or something around here...

Alright. I quietly jogged up the staircase, taking in all the extra details of the area. This mill seems to be abandoned long ago, replaced and put back to use by these cultists. I have no idea who previously owned it, but they look like they kept their place clean until these guys came along, corrupting every place they step a single foot into like a disease.

Shit. Up the stairs was a control panel, like I anticipated. But instead of just twisting a handle or pressing a button, it was a single crank slot missing the fucking crank. Fuck me, where the hell am I going to find one? It's not like they would keep a random crank around the mill, just sitting on a table... or something.

Near the ammo boxes. I saw one! On the spur of the moment, I broke into a wild dash, racing down the stairs and hurling the door open back into the grinder room. Okay, the room was to the right. Come on, quick! Now it would be a terrible time for them to show up, but knowing my luck, oh they would show up alright.

The door into the room was left ajar by me, thankfully. I swiftly snatched the crank into my safe hands, whirling around immediately and legging it back up the stairs. That'll do it, hopefully. No one has come this way yet, so maybe my luck is starting to get better. Recklessly inserting the crank into its slot, I gripped the plastic handle with all my power, gyrating it in a loop a few times until the water was completely blocked off from progressing any further. That should do the trick.

Without missing a beat, I rushed down the staircase for hopefully the final time, stopping dead in my tracks when the door suddenly sprung open without my permission.

"I will fear no man." Fuck! I swiftly dived behind a wooden cart, managing to keep my stealth advantage. Couldn't go two minutes without shoving your ass up mine, could you? He began to head towards the staircase once he spotted the recently inserted crank, mumbling something too quiet to be audible. Okay, I can do this. I continued to face towards him while tiptoeing towards the door, keeping a firm check on him as I moved in closer to freedom. Come on...

Fuck it. I slammed the door shut full force, locking it after me to make sure he couldn't follow. Okay, the grinder is out of circulation, and free to crawl through. This is going well. I briskly inserted myself into the cramped space, crawling towards the empty doorframe I saw earlier. I'm making it! Once I get myself off this cursed town, it should be smooth sailing to the mines without any disturbances. Just working on the 'get out' part right now.

"A thousand eyes and everything a mouth." What the?! I shot an instantaneous look behind, feeling the sudden adrenaline creep up on me like a leopard as I set eyes on the cultist crawling after me. But I locked the door! Doesn't matter. I shot up to my feet before bolting through the empty doorway, drifting to the left and almost losing my balance in the process.

Fuck! I yelped in shock right after accidentally crashing my shoulder into a tree log, stepping back and continuing to sprint away. I can't see shit! I reached for my pouch and began to rage a fiery battle with the lock, struggling to unlock it and pull out my camera to see. Come on you little fucker!

Pulling the lock loose and adamantly snatching the camera into my hands, I flicked on the night vision just in time to see the brief flash of a slope underneath my feet, knocking me flat on my face before the camera flew out of my hands. Oh, fuck!

The drenched mud violently smeared itself on my face and clothes, definitely creating a few cuts due to how fast I was skimming down this unexpected slope. I came to an abrupt halt once I reached the bottom, feeling around my face to see if I sustained any significant injuries.

"That's far enough!"

I twirled my head clockwise towards the top of the slope, squinting my eyes in response to the bright glare of flashlights coming from the top. Why aren't they coming down here?

"I wouldn't go down there for all the clean cunning in Zion"

Their flashlights swayed towards something behind me, all attention on me lost. I kept low and tried to conceal myself behind the remains of a gutted cow in a pitiful fashion. My camera was gone, I couldn't see where I was or where they were, only their bright clarity guided me in the right direction.

"What?"

"That's Marta's piece... Leave it."

They clicked off their flashlights in no real order, taking a glance at me one last time before emerging out of my view.

Oh shit. Oh fuck. What just happened? I was running, then my foot slipped and I fell. I shoved a hand down into my pouch, gently taking out my blood and gut juice coated camera into my shook hands. The damn thing slipped away and ended up inside a gutted cow, and I had to fish it out with my bare hands. I rubbed a little bit of the blood on my parka, sighing at its state. The left arm was completely torn off, exposing my shoulder out to any dirty substances that may enter. The torso had various cuts all around, the most eye-catching one located on my ribs. Fortunately, it didn't mess up any pockets.

My tan pants were another story. The kneecaps and most of the stuff below was carved clean off, still mostly due to the helicopter crash. My most intact accessory was my glasses. Barring a very small cut that wasn't visible unless you looked really close, it was still good as new if you didn't count all the dirt.

Okay, time to keep hustling forward. The impending edifice on my path was something more akin to a town consisting of a few barns, instead of just one single barn in the middle of nowhere. But why is this place so far out from the town?

 _"Marta's place... Leave it."_

I briefly reflected on the words of the cultist, trying to piece it together. They didn't follow me down here because of her, so this building I'm walking into must be her 'place.'

Oh, fuck. Ohhhh fuck... They wouldn't come down here. Just like when they all locked themselves in their houses when she arrived in the town. Pushing the grain stalks out of the way, I began to make my way to the area with the barns, hoping to pass by before she came back. I wasted too much time checking out my clothes already, no need to get scared any further. The area was mostly fenced off, the fences constantly and abruptly switching between barbed wire and non-barbed wire.

If she's down here, she's surely gonna be looking for me. For fuck's sake, this whole area is very big for a small town, but I ran into her more than five times already. There's no way that's possible by pure chance unless she's constantly tailing after me. She doesn't know when to stop.

Neither do I.

I snatched a battery floating on a body of water, enclosed in a wooden box. Hopefully, it works fine. I flicked open the battery port of the camcorder, installing the battery that I picked up from the tower instead of the wet one I just picked up. It should work fine when it's fully dry, and I can put it in when the camera gets low on battery again.

I decided to follow the metal fence along by its side, most likely I'll come across a gap or something. I always do.

Marta. I reproduced the memory when she caught me right before I was about to climb over the ledge, receiving a swift kick to her face and failing her mission to kill me once again. I need to remember that she's just an unnaturally tall woman carrying a lethal weapon, nothing more. She isn't a demon. She's made of flesh and blood, like the rest of us.

I can outsmart her. I turn corners better than her. The stenches of a burned out campfire flew into my nose, soon meeting my eyes. Another decapitated cow, thrown into the fire and left to cook. But nobody came back. Shit, where is she? I had two paths I could take; The open gate to the left, and a path into the barn to my right.

Fuck. The crispy and rotten flesh of the cow smells fucking disgusting. I decided to take the left path, through the open wooden gate. But the smell was getting stronger instead of weaker. It isn't the cow producing that. Almost smells like...

"Blasphemous seven horns of the mustard scion shepherd." Fuck. I silently turned tail without breaking a sweat, booking it to the right path instead of the left, where there was certain death. God, do you ever give up? The right path held a sliding gate into the building, but the bottom part was broken off, so I could just crawl through. I don't think she noticed me, so that's good. I don't know how, because I remember my footsteps kicking up the sand like a sandstorm, but I'm not complaining one bit. The inside was poorly lit, barring a set of candles lined up against the table.

"Temple Gate cuts the whore, bleed a price, the true ascend." Her muffled speech was still audible from here, the intensity not getting any closer or farther. Okay, I need to hurry. The only thing useful was a paper on the table, barely getting any lighting by the candles. I had to resort to NV in order to read it.

 _March 9_

 _A quiet sky. Six more of my own children (though no blood of my own) met the blade this morning. I wept as at the slaughter of the issue of my own loins. I cut Marcus' throat deep enough for the knife to scrape against spine, but still he was writhing on the pyre. And Papa smiled and sang about gathering at the river. All the voices of Temple Gate joined in chorus._

 _Only one voice was absent, and conspicuously so._

 _God should have answered by now. Whether by words or action: God please give us an answer. Fulfill the promises of your prophet._

 _We have sent such oblations into the earth by blood and into the sky by flesh burnt to smoke that this continued silence is a message in itself. Do any love God as I do? As often as I do?_

Another part of Val's journal. I wonder what it's doing in Marta's place. This one was before she became fully crazy, and before the other ones except the January one. If this is all she wrote, I'm gonna read all of her journals in order and try to piece together her story.

"Bleed the wench before hell after birth."After I get out of this little situation.

This is her home. Very tidy, but also very gore filled. I really wonder how it all looks in the morning. Probably not much better. There is only so much evil the sun can cover up. I can't stay here, she'll just break the gate apart and come in.

I kneeled and began to tiptoe towards the gap in the door, hoping to get out of here in the same fashion as I entered. Her mumblings were getting slightly louder, and I was starting to get worried that I wouldn't make it out of here in one piece. I need to find a way through this area, like the water mill. But how? Fences were all around us, and I doubt I could climb up barbed wire without fucking up my hands even more.

Gagging in disgust, I hastened my pace in response to the gutted cattle, flies and mosquitos buzzing beside them. Fuck. Another wooden sliding gate finally set the marker, dictating the end of the corpse-filled promenade. No time to waste. I gripped the rusted metal bar with strenuous hands, shifting the door away from my path. Oh god this thing is heavy. Come on! UNNGHH!

Did I push it?

The door had only moved an inch from its original position. I tried to push it more, but the door wasn't moving any further. Fuck, it must be jammed or something. Maybe I can fit through? Half-heartedly squeezing my body through the small gap, I was taken aback when I actually managed to fit through, leaving that obstacle behind me. Nice.

Goddamn, this smell. The area was completely dark except the overhead lamp hanging from the weather-worn ceiling, giving white light to below. Around me stood more woodwork, some of which were covered with dry blood. In front stood some type of crouched gate, clearly meant for chickens or other small livestock. I can crawl and get out through that if I find some way to open it. Hmm... Maybe that chain? I heedlessly clutched the corroded copper chain into my palms, pushing it downwards to check if the gate opened.

The chain above it went up alright, but the hook that was meant to connect the gate with the chain was absent. Okay. Maybe I can find a hook around here, or just find another way through this place. I gave an observational look over to the set of barrels hidden in the corner, behind the darkness. Nothing useful. I decided to go back the way I came, turning on the NV this time. Bits of hay were scattered around the horse enclosures, small quantities of stale blood hanging off of them. Fuck, the poor things. Tehy weren't aware of what was going on, they just wanted to eat grass and have sex. I'd save these animals over any of them, at least they don't go around causing harm to anything because of their bent brains.

No hook. Okay, must be somewhere else then. I quickly slipped through the gap without wasting too much time, heading back the way I came from. Where is she? She's awfully silent, and I have the sneaking suspicion that she's tailing after me like last time. I shot a quick look behind, sighing in distress after finding nothing there. Fuck, focus Blake.

Where could an exit be? Maybe from where she came from? The left path. That's the only place I haven't looked.

* * *

Okay. I quickly made my hasty pace through the open gate, still feeling uneased by her silence. She usually never stops looking for me, so it's weird that she's gone all of a sudden. To my right was a well lit up shed, containing more pieces of furniture keeping the place complex looking.

"Lake carrion, flayed woman, graves under Saviour's wedding supper." Shit. Where are you? It's so difficult to locate her voice, especially when she's mumbling so ghastly. The only thing my microphones were picking up was the buzzing of flies concentrated around the cattle corpses, under the promise of a good night's meal.

I think I'm safe. I continued to head deeper, passing by some barrels and woodwork before coming across a human-sized space between the fences. Trails of fresh blood led through the gap, turning into bloody footprints as I continued to move onwards, not paying any attention to the horrific smell that suddenly arose. Oh, fuck. I think that's the worst one so far.

Closed off wire gate. Past the gate was some sort of sign... I zoomed in closer;

 **Road to The Mines**

That's it! If I can find a way through, I'm golden. How though? Directly near the sign was the very same chicken wire gate from earlier, leading directly to the road towards the mines. Shit, I need to find that hook.

The other way then. At the end of the walkway was another overhead lamp, shining at another cattle corpse and more wooden beams laying around. Jesus fucking Christ, it's like a ride through a horror movie. The clown that pops out from the bushes is the only thing that's missing now. Add in a few shitty effects and you have the movie of the year.

Ugh, more bodies. I tried to activate my microphones once again, wincing in disgust due to the flies buzzing around. Ugh, fuck. I hate flies. Flat-out sprinting past the gory sight, I thought it would be over when I reached the open gates into some sort of butcher house. I should've known nothing good would come out of a butcher house in this place.

Ugh. Ungh. Oghhh. Oh, shit. My collar was quick to move as I put it over my nose, trying to hold back literal tears due to all the moist building up in my eyes. Oh god, what the fuck?! I can't hold it. It wasn't too long before my vomit overtook most of the floor, mixing in with the blood.

 **Recording**

"Meat hung to cure. Hooks through their Achilles' tendons."

The corridor to the other side was just plain out filled with gore. Gore and flies. Several decapitated bodies were hung from the ceiling, hooks tearing through flesh like cotton candy. I couldn't even tell if they were of animal origin or not. The ground was filled with cattle and horses with half of their bodies gone, some of them missing their heads.

No way around. I'm gonna have to walk through them. Oh, fuck. fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck. Collar, I'm depending on you. I flipped the hoodie over my head, hoping it would block anything falling on my head.

Goddamn, the stench is unbearable. I'm worried I might actually pass out. But I have to get through. It just has to happen. Meekly putting a step forward, I took in a deep breath and began to hold it until I reached the other side, doing everything in my power to swat out any flies out of my way. With all of their mindless praying, they sure forgot to pray for refrigeration. One would really come handy right now.

Intestines rolled on the floorboards like newspapers, the concentrations of flies and mosquitoes foolishly fighting for dominance over the extreme abundant food. Grotesque imagery all around me. Not a single fucking object not reminding me of death. Fucking Christ.

Reaching the other side, I finally let the awaiting wisp of breath out of my system, returning to breathing normally. Okay, fuck. Let's see if this slaughterhouse leads out of here. There were two paths I could take now, both in close proximity to the disgusting corridor, just separated by a wire fence. The left path was composed of barrels lined up against the frail plywood, leading to a gap in the wall that allowed me to get outside without having to use the door. Good to know. I tried the right path, more organs hung up by hooks catching my attention past the hazy windows.

Come to think of it, one of those hooks would be the perfect match for that gate I saw earlier. But I couldn't reach any of the ones situated around the cattle corpse packed corridor, even with Marta's height. Maybe the ones past the windows? They were all linked together via a chain traveling around the ceiling, so there must be some way to rotate them around and get them within grabbing distance.

Yeah, I'm gonna have to do that. The copper chain hanging from the ceiling and I soon crossed paths, the chain going up and ultimately merging with the chain connecting the hooks. I gave it a little tug, nodding in satisfaction when the hooks indeed moved around in response to my command. Okay, one should end up right near this busted window after pulling this for a few seconds.

Drawing in a sharp breath, I clutched the oxidized chain into my hands, groaning in determination as I pulled it downwards. The area below the hooks wasn't too different from the corridor, the whole floor unquestionably painted with arid blood. Just don't look. I gave the chain a final yank, the metallic brown hook clean of any gore eagerly falling into grabbing distance.

That'll do. I swiftly detached the hook from the chain it was hanging on, feeling very upbeat towards the notion of finally leaving Temple Gate. Fucking finally.

"There will be peace in the valley." The unexpected sound of her voice took me by complete surprise, managing to catch a glimpse of her figure before she slammed the front doors shut, tampering with the locks a second after. Shit, did she just lock me in here?! No, I still have that gap in the wall. Phew. Keep giving me luck, universe.

Okay, just have to sneak past her and get back to the gate, then I'm good to go. The gap was at the left side, okay. I gradually began to speed up, my nose already desensitized to the smell of rotting steak. I could really chew one apart right now. Clean and free of any contaminated bacteria of course.

So, is this the place where the townspeople get their meat? Their primary source. Too lazy to get off their asses and look after their livestock, instead they just said fuck it and killed them all, harvesting their insides every now and then like a teenager eating rotten pizza. Were they not bothered by the fact that these animals literally smell like death? Don't blame me when they get Salmonella.

Well, the good thing about Marta locking the main entrance is that I don't have to walk through the hell pit that is the corpse packed corridor. She's out there, she knows I'm here. But I hope that she doesn't know there is a second way out.

* * *

Okay, back outside again. I made sure to scout the area with my microphones, making sure she wasn't waiting for me to emerge before slipping through the wooden crevice. I got the hook, I have everything I need. My only objective is to reach that chicken gate. It's funny that the mere existence of chickens saved my life, and Lynn's. I began to leg it through the same pathway back to the half-open sliding gate, not even thinking about making noise and attracting her attention. There's no way to hide in this area, my only option is to run as fast as I can go.

"The Lamb slain, foundation of the world." Oh sh... Fuck, she's on the other side of the gate, where she couldn't reach me. Her pickaxe was sheathed over her shoulder, her head slightly tilted downwards. What is she doing?

"Bleeds false heaven's fear, beast seeds the cracked city."

"Why are you doing this?" I don't know what saying this will accomplish, but I just have to get it off my chest.

"Is it written already in your perfect book?"

"What are you talking about? I'm just-"

"Your blood shall be the tokens of my virginity." Her abrupt wild dash towards a pathway on her side made me step back a few feet, my eyes shot open like a firecracker. Where is she going?! Shit, I have to move!

Squeezing through the gap in the fence, I struggled to get my bearings straight for a brief second. Right, the shed! The gate isn't too far off now. I barreled past the enclosed water, drifting left and shooting past the open wooden gate. Fuck, where is she?! The stench of crispy carcasses over the fire hit me like a pile of bricks, almost forcing me on the floor as I ran past.

Okay, to the left. I remember, the half-open sliding gate is just past her house. Fuck you, witch!

"Will you slay the wicked, Lord?!" The sliding gate into her house gushed forth without any warning, barely clipping me in my waist as I bounced away. The tall woman didn't hesitate before calmly walking through and preparing a strike. Fuck, how did she get in there?! I wasted no time before continuing my bolt, the wind of her pickaxe grazing me in the shoulder.

"You play the whore in my father's house!" Sure! I threw myself against the small opening in the sliding gate, squeezing through and tearing it through the horse enclosures and to the chicken gate. I think I'm safe!

"God give me voice, God guide my hand!" I'm not safe! Her pickaxe ruptured through the wood like it was wool, effortlessly clearing her a way into the edifice. I was too busy installing the hook to the gate to check up on her progress, come on!

"God give me voice, God guide my hand!" Okay, the hook part is done. I lunged at the copper chain with all my might, clinging onto it for dear life.

"God give me voice, God guide my hand!" I gave the chain a swift yank, my heart dropping out of my chest as the chain refused to move. FUCK!

"God give me voice, God guide my hand!" Move dammit! Come on, please! It must be stuck or something. I tugged at it with tears flowing down my cheeks, the chain still refusing to move. No, this can't happen! Not when I'm so fucking close!

"God give me voice, God guide my hand!" No! I gave the damned piece of rusted metal one final vigorous pull, the chain promptly loosening up and cascading downwards. Did I fix it?! Fucking yes! Just have to lift the gate open now. I clamped my sweaty hands on the chain with all my fortitude, shifting it downwards, my teeth gritted together in agony and exhaustion.

"You will be a tribute unto the Lord." The gate took one final swing of her pickaxe as it collapsed for good, letting her step inside and begin her dash towards me. Shit shit shit shit shit! I gave the chain one final yank before the chicken wire gate let out an ear grinding whine, opening its doors for me to enter. No time to waste, I thrust myself under its blood-soaked confines, managing to crawl towards the exit for a terse moment before getting forcefully snatched away by my ankles.

"Shame!" Fuck! I barely managed to grab the edge of the closing gate with my fingers before I got dragged away, turning to face her as she tried to reach for my throat. Fuck you, I can't hold this gate any longer! Shit shit shit shit shit, OH SHIT! My hands were literally the only thing keeping the gate from closing, and managing to hold it up all the while with Marta pulling me away proved to be much more of a difficult feat than it looked.

"Get away!"

"Shut up! Shut your fucking trap!"

The moment she tried to reach for her pickaxe stashed away on the ground nearby, I took the opportunity to propel a swift kick right in her ugly face, finally breaking free of her grasp as I hastily slithered away. The gate didn't miss a beat before dipping back down on the ground again, putting a firm wall between me and that monster.

"How's that feel, huh?" I blurted out as I crawled away, shooting a look behind to see her gone already. Doesn't matter, I'm finally out. Fucking out. No more crazy hillbillies that look like bus drivers chasing me around with three machetes, plus one up their ass. No more fat priests ordering my gruesome slaughter, and no more freaks of nature trying to gut me with their pickaxe. I'm free, and on my way to Lynn.

Not today bitch.

To my right was that wire gate I peeked through earlier to see the signpost leading me to the mines. And sure enough, it was standing right there to my left, looking the same as ever.

I let out a few breaths of adrenaline, trying to calm down my heart as I began to pace to the sign the road apparently leading to the mines, where the Heretics and Val took Lynn to. I'll work out a rescue plan on the way.

 **Old Mine**

It said under the main writing. I wonder how old it is actually. If it's older than the beginning of Knoth's reign, then it's good on my book. I haven't seen what the Heretics are capable of, but I can't imagine it's much worse than the acts of Knoth and his followers. We might actually survive. Spread our story out to the world and get this investigated and shut down for good. It'd be the most good I would do for the world, that's for sure.

But before that, I got a long walk ahead of me.


	10. Moaning Trees

That feels good. I zipped my beige trousers back up, making sure that all the piss was out of me before covering my manhood behind my pants. It's been a while since I've taken a leak, probably due to my lack of hydration in the last couple of days. My career has been keeping me quite busy, especially our journalism company who has been nagging us to investigate why Jane Doe disappeared since the initial news went live. I wish Lynn hadn't forced me to come along, but then she would be in the middle of this mess on her own. You know, one of the most useful advantages of being a freelance journalist is that you are in more control of your life and which story you want to dig a hole in. Terrorists setting up a base in an abandoned town? You can call it off if you think it's too dangerous, but most companies don't usually care about their worker's safety. This goes for most companies. If me and Lynn had the chance to cancel this investigation, we sure as hell would, and would avoid experiencing the most mind-twisting night of our lives.

But now, I'm here. In the middle of fucking nowhere, currently heading towards my kidnapped wife who's sanity has been probably traumatized beyond repair already. I can't change what happened in the past, but I still can't help but feel remorseful at what would have happened if things went a little bit different. If we took a day off, or one of us was sick. So many possibilities, but none of them struck into reality.

I have been hiking for a solid 30 minutes now, but still no sign of anything that would let me know that I was getting closer to the mines. All of that precious time that I wasted was spent getting my feet stuck in cactus, or silently mumbling to myself about some random ordeal that I was a witness to in the past. Nothing to help me pass the time. I'm going fucking insane just thinking about what they're doing to my wife, who I love more than anyone. Torture? Rape? Or something worse. Fuck.

Okay, I need something to help me take my mind off of her, at least for now. I turned my trusted camcorder back on, flicking through all the recorded snapshots of the letters and notes I found while traveling around Temple Gate. I still haven't fully read those chapters of Knoth's gospel, which looks like a kid with an immature ego got a hold of the bible and wrote fan fiction based on it. But it's still worth a shot. Just need to watch out for any more cactuses on my path.

 **Chapter 8**

 _ **1-**_ And your people have made war in the fields of my son, in Eretz Yisrael.

 _ **2-**_ My land laid waste but my seed firmly set, against Babylon and the Assyrian and against Rome, but fallen to the Moslem and failed in the crusades and betrayed in the time of the Publican Pharisees.

 _ **3-**_ As it was written by Baruch ben Neriah in the words of the weeping Jeremiah: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by lucre and shame and my people love to have it so.

 _ **4-**_ Be thou instructed, O Ezekiel, lest my soul depart from thee, let not thy face be uncircumcised, in thy Jeremiad thou must not weep naught but tears, thou must weepest even blood.

 _ **5-**_ And Sullivan Knoth inscribed his name as EZEKIEL upon eternity's banner, with iron blade he scratched the word "I" down the globe of his eye and it was slit and bled and his face was washed with tears and blood.

 _ **6-**_ Thus saith the true Lord: now may I show you the truth, for you have cut thine face in covenant to me.

 _ **7-**_ And the Lord saith: you have not cut away thine eye, but the scale you took for an eye, and now you may see.

He scratched the word 'I' on his face? So that's why that scar across his eye is there. Another physical proof of his self-serving delusions. And what does he mean by his face being 'uncircumcised?'

Not bad, but still written by the leader of the worst cult in history. Ezekiel was a prophet from what I know. And it seems like Knoth announced himself to be the second one. But why would he? He doesn't gain any clear benefit from having this cult, aside from being literally treated as a god. People have thoughts like this in their heads sometimes, but it just stays as a thought, and nothing more. What caused Knoth to start this whole thing in the first place? I think I need to learn about his background aside from being a cult leader, to learn if he is involved with the existence of that bright light, or learn what he was before he set up Temple Gate. Luckily, I have a few more chapters of his gospel at hand, so I hope the answer is written in one of them.

This one is apparently a 'New Gospel' which is just a small addition to the Gospel of Knoth once Knoth found out that Val betrayed them. I found it at Knoth's church where he kept Lynn until she escaped. I had checked it out a little bit to see what the general gist of it was, but never had the time to read it to the end.

 **New Gospels**

 _ **7-**_ _Now the breaching of Hell's cunt drew nigh, and the night air sang with the grinding edges of the midwive's blades._

 _ **8-**_ _And the Enemy, fearful even in his prison, reached out and into the heart of Sullivan's dearest and most trusted disciple, who was called Val and secretly stiff-necked and uncircumsized of heart._

 _ **9-**_ _Val's mind descended among the damned and hated of God, and communed with the Enemy, and bathed in the seed of the spider-eyed lamb._

 ** _10-_** _Val betrayed Temple Gate, and God, and even Sullivan Knoth who had loved true and would guide the chosen to salvation._

 _ **11-**_ _And God said let Val and all heretics suffer a thousand tortures and seven times seven that in suffering and shame before death and in eternity ever after._

The verse number strangely jumped back to seven, prompting me to raise one of my eyebrows in confusion. What?

 _ **7-**_ _Now the breaching of Hell's cunt was close, was coming upon them, drew neigh, and the air was filled with the singing of Papa's glorious hymn and the. Fuck, and the night air sang with the sharpening grinding of the midwives' blades._

 _ **8-**_ _Satan, even though trapped in Hell, penetrated the heart of Val,_

 _ **9-**_ _And Satan Shaitan Ba'al the Enemy, fearful even in his prison, reached in the heart of Sullivan's dearest and most trusted disciple, who was called Val and shod in the clothes of secretly stiff-necked and uncircumsized of heart._

 _ **10-**_ _Val's mind descend among the damned and hated of God and Ezekiel, and communed with the Enemy, and drank of bathed in the foul sweet hot seed of the spider-eyed lamb._

 _ **11-**_ _Val betrayed Temple Gate, and God, and even Sullivan Knoth who would guide the chosen to salvation._

 _ **12-**_ _And God said let Val and all unbelievers heretics die suffer a thousand injuries and seven times seven that in suffering before death and in eternity ever after._

What the...? The last few verses repeated themselves, exactly word by word, just a few words changed to one of their synonyms. The person who made this issue of the gospel must've made a mistake. That guy who didn't want papers to be wasted is gonna get angry once he finds out.

So Knoth and Val are fighting against each other, but over what? What thing isn't their mutual opinion? Could be a lot of things actually, but that still doesn't explain why Val was motivated enough to rebel against a group that actively slaughters kids and hosts corpses along with needless body gore all over their entire town. Knoth wanted to learn Lynn's location back in the chapel, and mentioned that they had only a few hours to find and murder the child that Lynn apparently is pregnant with. But the people who have Lynn are Val and the Heretics, and they sure as hell aren't trying to murder her, so the only possibility that remains is that they are protecting her and the child.

That means they want the child to be born, while Knoth and his followers want it dead. That's what they are fighting over. Knoth said that the baby is supposedly the 'Antichrist' and is gonna bring destruction to the whole world. If my memory serves me right, Antichrist means 'Son of Devil' or something resembling that, so the Heretics are the one technically worshipping the devil, unlike Knoth who is trying to kill it so total annihilation doesn't happen.

Looking at it from their perspective, Knoth's side is clearly the moral one in this conflict. The problem is that all of their religious words and beliefs are absolute horseshit. They're all mad, and not a single thing they mention exists in the real world. I just want to take my wife and go.

I turned my head upright to check if I had gotten closer after noticing that I was purely engaged with my camera for a while now. The mine building was still a good fair bit of distance away, so I had no choice but to keep reading Knoth's gospels.

 **Chapter 5**

 _ **1-**_ And I looked, and a gyre unwound form the night, a fire turned inward, burning from all directions towards the center, and drew the light from the walls of my room so that I hung in a void that shone in rainbows like oil upon a black mirror.

 _ **2-**_ And I looked despite the pain and behold, out of the midst of the inward fire came the likeness of a creature, a figure as like to a man as a circle is to a sphere.

 _ **3-**_ As a cross-section of a sphere would make a circle, so the cross-section of this creature would make a man,

 _ **4-**_ And this was their appearance, they had the appearance of Jesus Christ's agony upon the cross, and in chest and sex had the appearance of a man.

 _ **5-**_ And their faces were innumerable and joined to one another, a thousand eyes and everything a mouth, with wings and jaws inseparable even in sight, and the purpose of the eyes and the purpose of the jaws was both for a more perfect consumption.

 _ **6-**_ Thus were their faces, and in the next moment, they were the bones of the Four Horses of the Apocalypse and the bones of the Horsemen, too.

 _ **7-**_ And in the moment that followed their faces were the sex organs of angels, and in the moment that followed a bonfire of flame with voices singing in beauty to rend the mind, and in the moment that followed a reflection in silvered glass.

 _ **8-**_ For their faces were all of these things at once, and their wings were joined one to another and as they flapped wove to arrest time and I could not take air into my body.

A thousand eyes and everything a mouth. Wings and jaws inseparable even in sight... The cultists. Their repeating of religious phrases isn't random. They are repeating the words in Knoth's gospel, like a song that'd get stuck in your head. This is all more evidence that the cultists are getting brainwashed by something caused by Knoth, and that he is more than he seems.

 **Chapter 6**

 _ **1-**_ Now as I beheld the living creature, God's Lamentations fresh in my mind, I asked, are you the Four Strange Creatures revealed to Ezekiel?

 _ **2-**_ And the voice came from the firmament that as over their heads said unto me, Son of Man, this angel appears to Ezekiel, and to though, too, for your burdens are the same.

 _ **3-**_ And, sayeth the Lord, you shall be Ezekiel to these wretched times, and Muhammad to its chosen people, and Noah to the flood of blood inflamed that will destroy the Heathens and Gentiles and Pharisees.

 _ **4-**_ And like the four strange creatures of Ezekiel, and of John, and of Isaiah, and of Daniel, behold a wheel there upon the earth by the living creatures.

 _ **5-**_ The appearance of the wheels and their work was as like to the corona of an eclipse; and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.

 _ **6-**_ The rings of the wheels were dreadful, and full of eyes round about them four, thousand of eyes and none of them human, but black and intelligent and shining like the eyes of beasts ready for slaughter.

 _ **7-**_ And where the unfaced creatures looked, the eyes of the rings focused, for the spirit of the creatures was in the wheels, and the spirit of the wheels was in the creature.

What I've gathered so far is that Knoth is a schizophrenic and an egomaniac, coupled with a religious personality. The ultimate trio. Seriously though, he seems like he has mental problems, no shit actually, and thinks they're real. And where the fuck does Muhammad and Noah come from? Does he think he deserves to be like them? Seems like it, but I reckon I still have a lot more to learn about him.

 **Chapter 10**

 _ **1-**_ Then God showed me the work that was to be forged upon the anvil of Temple Gate; a blade honed even to cut the throat of the spider-eyed lamb.

 _ **2-**_ And I gathered my disciples, from the land of Al-Barquq, and the town of Holy Faith, and from among the impotent apocalyptans in Los Alamos.

 _ **3-**_ All the time pursued by Publicans and their tax collectors, hounded and harried, moving as we grew, a tribe born wandering in no man's desert.

 _ **4-**_ The Lord gave to Ezekiel more wives than brothers, though I turned away none; neither thief, whore, rapist, addict, murderer, pedophile, cripple.

 _ **5-**_ And I asked the Lord for guidance of the temptations of many wives and a voice of strong wine spoke: know ye not Abraham, Jacob, David, and Solomon.

 _ **6-**_ It is simply commanded that you take no woman as rival to her sister, do not uncover one's nakedness while the other is alive.

 _ **7-**_ Nor take your daughters as rivals to their mothers before their blood or while the elder is alive.

 _ **8-**_ And of your wives and daughters you will have your greatest warriors, in wimples with weapons that censer.

 _ **9-**_ And it shall be yours to multiply, to make children upon a legion of women, and children upon those children, and upon those children, until your line is a nation.

 _ **10-**_ For from your nation the Enemy shall emerge.

Los Alamos? If I'm recalling it right, that's in New Mexico. And gathering his disciples? Is he talking about the followers he has now? So okay, he's been in Mexico, presumably somewhere from the middle east, and a town named Holy Faith. But tax collectors? Why would they be pursuing him? My bet is on him being a hunted criminal, seeing as he allowed all kinds of fucked up people to come along with him. This is starting to get interesting.

 **Chapter 2**

 _ **1-**_ Wherefore gird up the loins of you that would listen, ready your mind, be open and sober in patience for revelation, obedient as children to parents, as parents to the Prophets, as the Prophets to God and His angels.

 _ **2-**_ For as much as ye know that ye were not made incorruptible by incorruptible gold, so are the lies of tradition received from your fathers;

 _ **3-**_ Received not by immaculate blood, the line of Adam corrupted beyond salvation by the line of Cain, circumcised but stiff-necked, uncircumsized of heart, and ill-grown of your father's lust;

 _ **4-**_ Who verily defiled the revelations of Abraham, and of Jesus of Nazareth, and of Abū al-Qāsim Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib ibn Hāshim, thou hellbound Jews, thou hellbound Christians, thou hellbound Moslems, who sow damnation in wait of reaping;

 _ **5-**_ But receive not the vain conversation of your fathers, and pass the time of your sojourning in fear, not fashioning yourselves in ignorant lust.

 _ **6-**_ And when called to account by the Father, defend His Heaven by the spilling of the heart's blood of the spider-eyed lamb, the Enemy, the unborn prince of lies.

 _ **7-**_ For trust unto him whom it was revealed: be ye holy, for I am holy.

This one didn't make much sense, aside from the part where he mentioned gold. What does gold have to do with this?

 **Chapter 1**

 **1-** The words of Sullivan, who would be the new Ezekiel, who would be the Prophet to lead the scattered usurping strangers of a fallen Christ in the stolen Zion of the Pueblos, the Jicanilla, the Mescalero, and the Navajo.

 **2-** Elected according to the blood wept in revelation, the foreknowledge of the Enemy even at the Gate and the crumbling ramparts, and obedience to the blood of God and Jesus Christ: Grace unto you but never peace.

 **3-** To him blinded to a corrupted inheritance of defiled faith, the liars of Babel and whores of Babylon, they befot of the Devil who is a liar and father of lies.

 **4-** O Zion, Zion, thou that stonest the prophets sent unto you so that your house is desolate and the blood of your ill-got children is sprinkled upon the earth to feed the wheat that fattens your brood for slaughter.

 **5-** For all flesh is grass to fatten the sacrificial ox or the sacrilegious calf, O Ba'al, O El, O Gugalana, O Moloch, but grass left to wither and fertilized with blood will to seed and spread.

 **6-** For the seed of the Prophet shall root the Enemy, that the Prophet may strike down with furious vengeance the bastard of lies begot in his own sin cleansed by his own blood spilled of his own issue.

I recognized some of the terms, but the chapter still didn't say anything that would let me know more about Knoth's background. I flickered through the photo gallery with eyes fixed on the screen, fearing the worst...

Yep, no more chapters. I really want to read the rest of it, but I can't just go back to the town and kindly ask for the rest of the chapters, and promptly take an axe to the face. I opened the photo gallery back on, flickering through the first few pages to find some notes or letters that I have snapped a picture of but never read. Come on, there has to be something.

Aha! There are three more notes I haven't read so far. They aren't long, and won't keep me nearly distracted enough on the way to the mines, but it's still something.

 _Midwife's Lament_

 _The babe is coming,_  
 _ready the knife._  
 _The babe is coming,_  
 _Night's midwife._  
 _Mother to the Enemy stained within,_  
 _God's creation saved with sin._

 _(chorus)_  
 _Hallelujah, stay the storm,_  
 _No longer must we wait._  
 _For come the dawn the Enemy born._  
 _To die in Temple Gate._

 _The babe is growing_  
 _Her belly swells_  
 _The babe is growing_  
 _Sent from Hell_  
 _Ezekiel waits a-sharpening his blade_  
 _Gather at the gate we kneel and pray_

 _(chorus)_

I remember this. I found this back at that temple where the burned kids were at, the time where I was still partially unexposed to all the violence and lies they spewed off all around them. It makes me sick. I'm not going to be normal after this, am I? If we get out of this alive, and I mean both of us, how are we gonna go back to our normal lives like nothing ever happened? There is always the option to go a therapist to get things off my chest, but I doubt that it's going to be solved that simply.

Why did it have to be us?

 _My dear Judith,_

 _I never ben much at puttin feelins into words, as you as my yokemate all these yeres well nown so I hope I can rite down whats so hard for a man to say. But I ben feelin your anger an sufferin the lak of relations sinse we killt little Sarai. It was Papa's will an God's will an you cant stay mad at me or Ill be forst to be firm with you._

 _With love an duty, your husban Marcus._

Oh god. 'I will be forced to be firm with you' did he kill his own wife? I'm shocked, even when I shouldn't be. After all the shit I have been through, I had to have been desensitized to it all, my brain should filtering all of it out. But it's not. After reading all of these fucked up letters, my moral compass is still rigidly strapped to me.

 _Christine-_

 _Before you go looking all over for it or yellin' at me for losin' it, I had borrowed all the grape aid over to chapel for a celebration Paul said Papa had in mind._

 _I know we ain't got a thing better to cover the taste in the water, but folks will just have to put up with it, I expect. Don't give them none of the Sacrament as its needful for service. I guess we can do without our Grape Aid until there's another run._

 _Macon_

Wait, what? 'Cover the taste in the water' what taste? Why would the water taste weird? Such a beautiful desert in Arizona shouldn't have polluted water, especially not in a town with working electricity and water mills. Fuck, I don't know. I shouldn't have taken a sip from that stream earlier.

That's all the notes I found so far. I put away the camcorder after watching it slowly shut down, setting my tired gaze to the sight of the mines once again, a fair bit closer this time. I'm getting closer to her by the second. Just hoping that she's able to resist them until I arrive.

* * *

Crosses leading up the stairs, a paper stationed on a bible stand, and my only path to the mines. Some sort of... church entrance. I can't make out much from down here, need to get closer once I read this paper.

 _Dearest Marta-_

 _My best beloved, most trusted, my intimate companion since your childhood. I know your faith is imperfect. I know that old worm doubt gnaws at your heart and tears wash your cheeks._

 _You think you sin in murder. But hear me, as I have told you every way I know how: you would only sin if you stayed your hand. If you do not chain a rabid dog, are you not responsible for the children the bitch attacks? If you do not crush the spider in your infant's crib, are you not responsible for its venomous bite? If you leave a fire unchecked, are you not responsible for every innocent burnt?_

 _In every case, Sloth would make you a murderer. You would not need lift a finger and still be a terrible killer in the mind of God._

 _Just as every life you do not take that could even maybe defeat The Enemy, who would murder and rape the whole wide world, is killing by sloth. For the Enemy is surely rabid, and venomous, and a hungry inferno._

 _Hold fast. Push the knife. You need no forgiveness because you do not sin. Know that Temple Gate needs you. Know that I love you. That God loves you._

 _Knoth_

Childhood friends? So Marta and Knoth know each other since they were little kids, but Knoth still thinks it's okay to blackmail Marta just so she does what he wants. He's basically saying "If you don't kill the people I want, you will go to hell and rot there forever." Knoth is sure one loathsome fucker.

Okay, can't get too distracted. I need to go through this strange building and carry on. Strolling up the stairs, the strange smell of bleach caught my nose, prompting me to do a double check to see if it was coming from me. What the fuck? Where is...

It's coming from inside the building. Up the opening above the ebony wooden door. The faint signs of fluorescent lights seeped through, even though the only light source I could see from here was just a lamp. Okay, I wonder what's inside. I rattled the loose doorknob of the timeworn door, accidentally popping it off and leaving a small hole in its place.

Definitely not entering through the door now.

Nothing was visible past the hole, except for total darkness. What the fuck?! I swung my head upwards towards the opening to do a double check, raising a bewildered eyebrow in response to the lamp still shining brightly as ever. But it's dark when...

I took a frightened step back, glancing back and forth at the hole and the opening. Am I fucking losing it? How is this possible? I need to take a look inside. Hurling up to the ledge and thrusting my body through, I was too focused on the lamp to notice the styrofoam panels before they gave out under my weight, getting a shocked yelp out of me as I crashed through and plunged on the solid concrete beneath.

 **Please Blake**

Huh? I managed to muster up enough willpower to move my head upwards, snapping right back out of my daze in response to the horrifying and unexpected sight. Jessica. The wall in front of me was adorned with her name scrawled everywhere, a finished hangman situated around it all. I'm back at the school, shit!

Wait. Wait. I remember this. This is before I found her hanging.

My whole body shook, I began to review the entire room, taking in every little detail. Two doors were on either side, both probably locked. The ceiling I crashed through was apparently out of order, cardboard panels covered right on the spot where I climbed through.

Wake up. Wake up! I'm still here. My body is still in the real world, but I'm not. Every step I take, could be a step towards a cliff in the real world. Is my brain aware enough to prevent me from doing that?

Fuck my life. Seriously, just fuck it.

 **Recorded**

"I'm weak but you are strong for me. How generous. You gave me life, you gave me talent." The reversed voice in the audio was more clear this time, sounding a bit like a normal person this time. But still not enough for me to identify the voice.

Now, how the fuck do I get out of here? I need to go back to the real world again. I tried the duo doors on the left first, being pleasantly surprised when the doors clicked open without resisting and let me push them open. Okay, this area is dark. I plucked the last battery out of my pocket, making sure it had dried enough before installing it in my camcorder.

There we go. I flipped open the visor and turned on the night vision, the features of the pitch black hall appearing into view. The clock implanted on the ceiling told the 'time' to be about 12:25 AM, a small bit past midnight. I distinctly remember the time in the previous hallucinations to be around 10 PM, a few hours earlier than in this hallucination. I don't know why, maybe just my brain being its typical self.

I briefly waved the camera to the left, waving it back after catching the glimpse of a door. Another classroom could be seen past the window slit, the chairs turned over on the desks. I always hated that the doors had windows on them, it made misbehaving in class nigh impossible with all the priests constantly roaming around the hallways.

Nothing of interest, besides from a slide projector sitting silently in the corner. Huh, weird to see one of these things again. I can't remember the last time I saw one, especially after I got expelled from school after Jessica's death. Lynn and Jess always used to play hangman with this thing; They would draw a hangman and some random letters on a transparent paper, and hide it somewhere in the school until the other one found it and tried to guess what the remaining letters were. Nobody but them used this thing, and rightly so. It needed at least a whole ten minutes to start up and to use it, and it consumed enough electricity to cause a power outage to an entire skyscraper.

That last part might be a slight exaggeration, but the point is that Jess and Lynn loved this thing even though it was basically trash.

I paced around the classroom several times, trying to find something interesting that would let me get free from this hallucination. Nope, absolutely nothing. Walking out of the classroom, I began to head deeper into the hallway, stopping to check when another door emerged into view. Another classroom, and still nothing but more desks. Might be worth to at least go inside. The door clicked open without causing much of a ruckus, letting me inside as I began to tread between the desks, looking for anything out of the ordinary. Who knows where I am in the real world by now.

 **Thank you, Blake**

That's not Jessica. That's... Loutermilch.

 **Very, very generous of you**

His tone resembled that of a deranged sociopath, reeking with sexual lust and filth. I reflected back to the reversed audio, playing it back in my mind. 'How generous.' Could that garbled voice be him?

The bloody handprints imprinted on a transparent paper immediately caught my attention, shoving that train of thought aside like a bug as I picked the paper up and began to examine it. The hangman game. Like Lynn and Jess used to play. Looks like whoever was in charge of guessing the letters lost, seeing as the stickman on the rope had his eyes X'ed out.

UNF_RGI_AB_

I would normally be able to guess this right away, but this one was a tad bit harder than the usual ones the girls came up with. The other half of this must be somewhere else. Jessica usually left it not too far away from the slide projector. That one wasn't in working condition anyway, so I had to find another one if I wanted to solve this thing.

I twisted the handle of the door behind the student desks, revealing another hallway still coated in complete darkness. Is this the same hallway or not? On my left was a pair of duo doors lacking a handle, and therefore, a dead end. To my right was a corner that once turned, looped back to the original hall. Well, damn. The other paper isn't in this area. The only place I haven't been in is the hallway past the other duo doors. I can try that.

* * *

The mechanisms loosened in rapid succession as the doors gave a loud click, separating from each other before I pushed them open and stepped through. My first act was to try the door to the right leading into a brightly lit classroom, and mutter a curse under my breath in response to the damn thing being jammed. Why does the only lit classroom in the entire school have to be locked?

Okay, fine. I turned a blind eye to the jammed door before continuing onwards, the echoing of my footsteps the only change in the area. I wonder where I am in the real world right now, if I'm heading towards certain doom without even realizing it. Funny thing huh? Manage to survive murderous cultists for several hours, make it through their town by sheer luck, and manage to escape. But no, the hallucinations your own brain causes forces you to go through some kind of a mind trip and promptly fall to your death without even knowing what- SHITSHIT.

The lockers on the intersecting hall to my right fiercely began to open and shut back and forth without any order or warning beforehand, scaring me stiff as I just stood there the whole time, watching them open and shut before they stopped their odd demeanor and turned back to normal lockers again.

Okay, control your breathing. It's nothing, just my brain fucking with me. There's nothing behind this whole ride but my brain.

"Jess?" Nothing.

"I was trying to help. I could've done something, but I was too young. Please, forgive me. I know you're not here, and I know I'm just talking to empty space, but please, if you're in heaven or in some other place where you can hear me, I just want you to know that I'm sorry."

The area was quiet as a sensory deprivation tank could ever be. All of this was suffering and pain, even years later, was brought on by that fucker Loutermilch. One of my mottos in life is to reduce him to a meaty pulp if I ever see him again, and force him to lay on a gurney hooked up to life support. He deserves every single surge of pain I'll bring.

Ugh, let's just keep moving. Further down into the hallway was a door left ajar, the projector inside the only light source available. Okay, found a working one. Let's hope she placed the other one here. She usually put it on the screen of the projector, and you had to put the one you had on it and move the slide projector a bit to line up the two papers together.

I nudged the door open before closing it behind me, making sure that no one- HUH?! Shit. Fuck. What was that? I caught the short-lived appearance of a melanoid creature staring at me from behind, disappearing into thin air like a ghost once I set eyes on it. The whole room began to glitch out like a computer a second afterward, the writing board popping in and out of existence erratically.

What the fuck?! Several grunts of distress came out of me without command, just a few more things keeping me from bursting into tears. Where am I? What is happening? Please, I just want to go home.

Hangman. On the writing board stood the image the projector was giving off, hosting a half-dead stickman and the remaining letters underneath. Okay, just like I anticipated. I just have to put the transparent paper on the slide projector.

"Okay, Jess. I'll play the last round of hangman with you, but you have to get me out of here right after. Deal?" No response. As it should be. Or no, as it shouldn't... Ah, just screw it.

I moved over to the projector with caution, making sure to watch my back in case that thing returned again. I don't really like the prospect of getting hunted even in my waking dreams, I got more than enough of that shit back in the real world.

Okay. I carefully inserted the paper on top of the other one, making sure that they were perfectly aligned. Just have to move this a little bit to the left and the game is over. I wonder what the word is. It wasn't too hard to exert it a few feet to the left, especially with my adult strength. One of the things I always hated while playing hangman with Lynn and Jess was that they always forced me to push the slide projector every time, and they knew I wasn't such a strong kid too. Jessica could hold me down on the ground no problem. They just liked seeing me struggling, I'll never understand why to this day.

UNFORGIVABLE

Sounds about right. I felt the weight of my guilt sink down against me with every inch of my soul, reflecting back to Jessica and her cries of help while he chased her around the school. I was able to carry her back home, but I couldn't help her after...

No. Lynn. I still have my wife alive, and she's my only chance to redeem myself in the eyes of Jessica. To prove her that I did everything I could. It's the only way I can let the memory of her go.

"I played your game, Jess. You gonna let me go?" It doesn't matter if she wants it or not, I'm leaving. I returned back to the door I came in from after checking the door behind the projector, not bothering to rattle it a second time after the door refused to budge.

"I need to go back to my wife, Jess. You need to drop me off this ride, once and for all." The sudden appearance of the black creature past the closed door struck me with pure terror on the spot, my mouth agape and eyes widened as I watched the creature stare into my soul past the small window and walk away, emerging out of my view.

I feel like I'm on thin ice. Is this what it felt like to be her in her final happy moments? Constantly watched by some sex freak, his eyes filled with a sick sense of lust. Oh god. I need to keep moving, no telling how much time has passed already in the real world. I clicked the door open without too much hesitation, giving a once-over to either side before continuing on.

The camera began to flick on and off without warning, prompting me to yank it away from my eyes at full force. That gave me a real fright, I thought the camera had run out of battery. Don't you go dying on me now, I need you. I put the NV back on, making sure to put it on STBY before beginning to use it. The last thing I need to show to the public is static with a creepy voice in the background, and get my recordings called a hoax and dismissed out of sight. No way.

Fuck. Dead end. The inevitable sight of the duo doors greeted me like an old friend, fully exposing the lack of their handles like they were proud of it. No way through here, maybe my brain unlocked one of those doors back there or something. It doesn't hurt to check again. I began to jog back to the main room where I climbed through, glancing behind a couple of times to see if that thing was following me.

What do you want? What will it take for me to get out? I tried the door leading into the lit classroom, groaning with a displeased tone as the damn door still wasn't keen on clicking open. I could've been missing something back there. Somewhere. I can't be stuck.

* * *

Always barred shut. Only two other duo doors remained. If none of them worked, I was stuck here for the foreseeable future. The first one was both locked, and blocked with a small metal ladder leading up to the ceiling. The other duo door was made of iron, and had to be pushed open with its metal handle if someone wanted to get it unlocked. I half-heartedly pushed the metal bar against the door it was on, being pleasantly taken aback when the mechanisms did their thing and the doors unlocked, paving the way for me and Lynn.

Pitch black as always. For all of its purposes, my camcorder has been doing a pretty good job of keeping me alive and sane so far. I probably wouldn't be the exact same if I wasn't certain someone was going to learn my journey through this place and awe at the hardships I had to go through.

Down into the hallway were more blue lockers lined up against the cement walls. Great, could be useful if I decided to ask someone out. Shifting my attention away from the lockers, my eyes inexplicably wandered to the red light at the end of the hallway without command, one of my eyebrows raised in confusion. Something is there... Exit. Yes! My ticket out of here. I took off towards the blue metal door without delaying anything, excited at the idea of finally leaving this place that's the stuff out of nightmares.

Huh?! What the... I stopped to take a quick look around me before pushing the door open, panic-stricken by the abrupt clanking of the lockers. Who's doing that?! Fuck, the door is locked anyway. No way out through- SHFUCK!

The black creature skimmed past my field of view for a brief moment before disappearing back into thin air again. It's messing with me, toying with my ability to experience fear. Just like Loutermilch. Maybe it's God or Jessica after all, punishing me for not being smart enough to notice her depression and help her out, in some way.

Oh fuck. The lockers began to open and shut hysterically anew, the creature whizzing past my vision again. Oh fuck, oh fuck! I quickly put my backside against the wall, preventing the creature from attacking behind me if it didn't have the ability to phase through walls.

No more, please- FUCK! The creature came straight at me this time, dissolving into thin air right before coming within grabbing distance. Shit, the lockers are getting more violent. I can't take much more of this.

"Stop it!"

The lockers ceased all at once with my command, but only for a brief moment as they continued their wild demeanor without a care in the world. Maybe showing dominance over them will work?

"I said fucking stop!" I marched towards them without flinching a single muscle, hoping this plan would work. They're just lockers.

"Good now?" Hopefully. The lockers stopped again, once and for all. Fuck, okay. That's another thorn out of my ass. How the hell am I going to find a way out of here though? The exit is locked. Maybe I can try to bash down one of those doors in the main halls?

Agh, my head. It feels like my brain is scattering all over the place. What's happening to me? I stumbled forward towards the lockers, both perplexed and dizzy towards the sudden change of brain activity? My feet felt like they were turning into jello, and I wouldn't get caught by surprise if I passed out right here. Fuck! Hold yourself together, I can do this.

Using one of the locker's handles as support, I managed to muster up enough energy to turn my head to the left, down into the dark hallway. The ruckus that was approaching sounded like footsteps, almost human-like footsteps.

Wait, is that...? My reflexes kicked in a second late as the creature, now in full form, cleared it towards me with olympian strength, tackling me with full thrust as my feet left the ground and I flew like a football across the entire hallway, slamming into the duo doors before tumbling on the ground.

"AUGH!" Several coughs of pain gave out from my throat, small quantities of blood leaving along with saliva. Shit! What was that?! UNGHH! I limped towards the open doorway to the right, slamming it shut behind me.

Shit! That hurts like an absolute motherfucker. I wouldn't be surprised if at least one of my ribs weren't broken. Oh, hell... Okay, what's in here? Several desks, chairs in front of them with books piled on top of each other, a single metal shelf with a book underneath, and a single styrofoam panel on the ground. An open space on top of it tipped me off that the panel fell from there, clear as the light of day.

My ribs ached once more, like they were rupturing my lungs. That wasn't real. That couldn't have been real. Then how did I get hurt? How was that thing who's just the figment of my mind attack me? I feel like that question is out of my boundaries, but I need an explanation here. None of this makes sense. How does my imagination cause me injuries? Did I get hit by a boulder in the real world and imagined it as that thing?

Not a damn clue. I need to get out of here, I think I've overstayed my welcome. The open space above that used to be the panels led into the vents. Maybe they'll collapse again and knock me back into the real world, somehow.

How am I gonna reach it though? The metal shelf maybe? I gripped it by its slightly corroded edge, exerting it towards the alignment point with the empty panel space. Goodbye, you disfigured demon thing.

I pressed the shelf against the metal wardrobe, aping up and trying to keep my balance. The clunks the metal shelf was giving out started to get me worried, so I didn't waste much time before hopping up to the ledge and pushing the rest of my body up.

Okay, the vents. I don't really have much of a plan right now, so my only option is to just keep moving. I crawled towards the left, coming up to a ventilation shaft blowing artificial wind on my face. Same as before. The screws keeping the vents intact were already losing their grip and loosening up, it wouldn't be long before I crashed down into a classroom again. Let's just keep going. The winds started to become more pronounced the more I crawled closer, but the smell was starting to change. It smelled fresher than something dry, not like the air a ventilation shaft would create. Almost like...

Mountain air.

Something wet began to rub against my ankles, prompting me to swing my head around and spot the elongated tongue rubbing itself off on my injured ankles. What the fuck?! Get off! Get off!

The tongue wrapped itself around my ankle, and I took the opportunity to smash my leg around the vents, reducing to grotesque tongue to a bloody pulp before flinging it away. But it still wasn't giving up. I turned right around and began to crawl away, the ventilation shaft now replaced with rocks and leaves, and the cawing of crows migrating towards warmer areas.

Where am I? I felt around the cramped crawlspace, no longer made of metal but cold hard rocks. The real world. I'm back. How the fuck did I manage to get in here?! My ankles were feeling wet, but my pants didn't look like they touched water since they were conceived. Must be my brain still believing the hallucination was real.

Okay, I need to get out of here. I began to tramp my arms forward towards the exit of this small space, the cobblestone and dirt getting crunched up under me. The faint stench of a misty campfire gained on my nose, seemingly nearby when no smoke was visible up in the air. I'm not too concerned about where it is right now, I need to know if I strayed from the path towards the mines when I was in sleep walk mode. I quickly picked myself up after reaching the end, watching the building in the distance standing among the fog. It seemed to be attached to the mountain, and hosted cable cars riding up on the sturdy cable connecting the mine building to something else.

 _ **The mines. Up the mountain. Val has her in the mines.**_

The words rang in my head. That's the mine building, so there has to be way into the actual mine where the miners dug. I was actually closer than I thought. I eased down the dirt path gravitating downwards, trying to get a closer look to the whole scheme. Shit, I also need a way past the humongous abyss standing between me and Lynn. Fuck, I didn't think of this.

What am I doing? This needs to be recorded.

 **Recording**

"The mines. That's the building. That's where the others took my wife. But I need a way past." I scouted the area with my camera without stopping the recording, looking for a way past. Come on, there has to be a way forward without jumping into the forest below. How did the miners travel there? Not with cars, that's for sure. Or we wouldn't have to rent a helicopter to get here. No air travel either, I doubt the miners had that sort of luxury in their time period. So that just leaves...

Trains.

The traces of a railroad bridge towered over the huge pines, directly connecting the hill where I stood and the mountain where the mine building was. Riding a brief slope down to the level of the railroad bridge, I zoomed in with my camera to see if it was traversable by foot. Unless a random train was stationed around here somewhere, and I managed to get it working, I was stuck with just my legs to use as a vehicle.

It's very timeworn, and I heavily doubt a normal train would be able to cross through even a single yard above it without losing balance due to the lack of tracks and plummet down into the pine forest below. But it seems like there are no apparent gaps in between I couldn't jump, so it's my way forward. Okay, good. I propped the camera against my eyes, leaning into the tight ledge and beginning to shimmy across to the bridge. Okay, fuck. Don't lose balance now. The ledge is shorter than I thought. Ohhh shit.

Under the fog and the trees was smoke rising up to the atmosphere, originating from somewhere below. Wait, the smell seems familiar. It's the misty campfire smell I got a whiff of earlier. It's coming from down there! That means there are people down there. Or at least, there used to be people down there. Are they friendly, or another ally of Knoth?

A campfire doesn't last that long, especially not in Havasupai reservations where it often rains. There's gotta be some sort of activity down there. Switching on my microphones, I focused the camera towards the area where the smoke was rising from, hoping to pick up some sort of breathing or footsteps. It's a long way down, but not that long. If the pines are able to almost reach the railroad bridge, my full HD camcorder microphones will have no problem reaching down there. Stopping any movement or noise I was making, I diverted all attention to the camera, an eerie aura overshadowing me.

Is that moaning? Pained moaning. Yeah, that sounds like... Oh fuck! The camera feed was overblown with several pained voices, crying out in the trees and calling for help. They sounded meek and omnipresent, but definitely something grounded in reality instead of my imagination. One of Knoth's men would surely think the trees were making pained groans or something, but I know better than that. There are people in need of help down there.

But I can't do anything about it.

I quietly shut off my microphones, continuing along the ledge until I stepped my boots into solid ground. Damn, are those people okay? Who are they? Maybe they are just outsiders like me, and abused by the Heretics or Knoth's flock. It'll sure be a delight to come across a sane man again. But I can't go down there, Lynn needs me. And besides, I'll die if I just jump down a several hundred feet drop. Maybe when we report this to the authorities and they check it out.

Okay, can't let myself get too distracted. I still have a wife to save. The railroad bridge was directly on my path now, leading me right to the mines like an answered prayer from god. It's a straight shot, so if I fall down, I'll either be dead or severely injured, and I'll fail my mission. It's all or nothing. That's a bit too much pressure to put on one guy, but there's nobody that knows we went here, except the news company we work for. I wonder if they ever sent a rescue team after us. But concerning the bright light that fries all electronics once it booms all around the desert, I have to think they crash landed too.

These tracks have been unusable for a long time. Behind the bridge was a large boulder completely blocking the way, shutting off any train transport to here. It's been like this for a while, and nobody has come to check up on it. It's almost weird, all normal human civilization activity is either from the 1900s or absent. The religious fanatics have taken over everything. How? How the fuck does nobody know about this place? It's literally impossible. Some government or corporation must be keeping them hidden, there's no other way. These guys aren't smart or coordinated enough to wipe their entire face off the face of earth like this. But corporations wouldn't be interested in this kind of stuff, so that's out of the dilemma.

Okay. Focus on the task at hand. Cross the bridge. Tight wooden beams were the only thing keeping the tracks together, and one would need to balance themselves getting through them if they wanted to cross this structure. Fuck, why can't I just do something normally for once? Always want me to struggle, for me to grit my teeth in pain.

No. I can get through this. The damn bridge has stood for years, it's not gonna collapse now. I gently stepped my dirty boots onto the frangible planks, getting ready for the first wooden beam across to another stable segment of the bridge. It's not that far, easily doable. Okay. I extended my arms to either side, helping me balance as I carefully made my way across.

Shit! The wooden beam let out an agony filled whine, one caused by mistreatment of wood. My heart beat almost dropped to zero as another whine rushed in my ears, almost throwing me off balance before I stumbled to the other side on my knees. Okay, made it. A few more to go before the gaps disappear and I'm able to safely stroll. The wooden beam didn't flinch as I set my entire weight on it, crossing to the other side without much ruckus this time. Okay, two more to go before...

What the hell? The buzzing of a thousand moths emerged past the fog as their innumerable figures darted into view, making their way across the bridge to the opposite to where I was heading. Oh god! Don't cause me to lose balance! I jumped the rest of the way without balancing through, splinting apart the wooden beam behind my path as it plummeted down into the depths of the forest.

It took a few them diving into my mouth and getting spitted out to figure out that they weren't moths, but locusts. The itching, the buzzing, all of which seemed to summon a familiar sound in my head, one which was comprised of machinery. Something beating against metal, and making crinkling sounds. Something oily descending behind my eyelids, but fading off a second after. What the fuck?

It's gone. Okay, last beam. But unfortunately, it's the longest one. The fog was obscuring any end I could see, making it even more distrustful and terrifying. How the fuck am I gonna balance myself with all these locusts crashing into me? I'm gonna have to do it. I began to take timid steps towards the dark wood beam, scaring away any locusts that got too near. Buzz off! Shit. Little further, the mine is just up there. The end of the wooden beam finally emerged into view, rising behind the fog like the answers to all my prayers in the last few hours. Lynn, I'm coming! Just what are they doing to you? I'm gonna find out, and take down every one of those fuckers until we are both free.

The locusts were sparse in numbers and weight, so they didn't distract me from getting through the wooden beam too much, but that quickly changed as another multitude of locusts emerged from behind the gloomy fog, joining their friends and increasing their mass. Fuck! Fuck fuck fuck! They're too much, I can't fight against them! It's like they are pushing me back with their current, like a river.

Some of the locusts began to stray away from their path, clamping all of their appendages on my skin and trying to lift me up. Oh god. Fuck! No, get off! GET OFF! I watched in shock as the tiny insects effortlessly upheaved me away from the ground, holding me up to some kind of humanoid figure made of individual locusts. It had a head, and everything a human body contained, but it was just a shape the locusts were making. Not a separate entity.

Agh, my head! The buzzing of the machinery returned again, casting some sort of shape in my vision before the locusts making up the entity went away, leaving me with the locusts carrying me up in the air.

Oh god, what the fuck is happening?! My head feels like jello. The last of the locusts finally began to fly away one by one, leaving me to my own devices as I began to plummet down from the railroad bridge headfirst into a pine tree, no longer getting carried by the locusts. NO! PLEASE NO! NO! I WAS SO CLOSE, LYNN! NO, SHE CA-

 **Recorded**


	11. The Atheist

"Were they locusts or were they not?"

"Laird. Your grace. It was a shadow in the sky. But I... I ain't rightly sure."

Something wrapped around my feet. I tried to get it off, but quickly fell victim to the broken mess that was my body. Where am I?

"God loves his children. Ugh." My head wasn't acting on any command I was giving it. My legs were dangling on something, blood flowing to my head. What is-

Something on four legs darted into view, mouthing something I couldn't decipher in my current state. Why is everything upside down? What happened? I fell off that railroad bridge, then everything went black. I'm dead. I should be.

"I'm sorry, your grace, I'm sorry, I'm-" The animalistic silhouette was cut short by a flaming arrow right in its noggin, plunging onto the ground as swift as it moved. Ah, shit! I swung my head upwards to spot the blubbery branch suspending me in the air by my torn up trousers, a short distance away from the ground.

Light. Heavy footsteps soon followed after the quick death of the strange figure, their flashlight shining at the fresh corpse with a disinterested fashion.

"Sorry."

The owner of the flashlight soon emerged into view, staring at his fresh kill with a casual composure. He seemed to be at least seven feet tall, slightly in a hunched state and covered with bloody rags all over his body. But who is...

"His suffering is done. Knoth's words were true." ...the baby on his back. He speaks. But he looks like a two year old toddler, riding the hunched giant and mounted on a saddle, covering the parts of his body down his waist. He pointed his tiny index finger towards the sky, up at the railroad bridge where I fell down from.

"Momentous times are upon us." After admiring the sights of the beautiful night, they, or at least the giant, walked off the view, muttering something under his breath that I doubt even the midget understood.

They're gone. The bridge. The mines. Fuck! I fell down. Oh fuck fuck fuck! Lynn, oh shit! LYNN! I was almost there, I was so close. My wife. She's still in there, probably enduring all kinds of torture they were giving her. And I'm just here, dangling off a fucking branch and managed to screw up the final thing I had to do in order to save my wife.

I need to see how long I was out for. Not in this position though. Okay, get the fuck off me! I began to wiggle around aimlessly, hoping to unlodge this piece of wood strapped on my ankle. It quickly came off without taking much of a beating, sending me plummeting down into the dirt flat on my face. Ouch, shit. Nothing compared to what I just survived though. I hope the brief ruckus I made wasn't enough to attract the midget and the giant he rode on. The last thing I need is to make new acquaintances who wanted drip blood out of me in hope that their god prevails. Not again.

My possessions didn't land too far away from my crash site either, both sitting idly against the ground, seemingly unscathed. I picked the machete up first, studying the rusty blade for a moment before placing it on my waist. The camcorder wasn't too damaged either, just blue screened because of the sudden impact. I gave it a swift whack in the battery port to jumpstart it back to life, the camera instantly showing some random recording instead of the home screen. What the hell? I don't remember recording this. When did this happen?

I curiously pressed the play button, leaning back against the trunk of a random tree and watching the recording unfold before my eyes. Oh god. I was recording?! I got to watch the moment of chaos for a second time as my past self got held up by that human figure made up of locusts, and promptly tossed me away into the depths of the woods. The audio gave a violent thump as my mangled figure crashed against the branch, the camcorder flying out of my pouch and spinning around a few times before the recording stopped.

Soft chills went up my spine as I stopped the recording, slowly staring up at the branch that saved my life. Oh fuck. Thank you. I let out a dissuading chuckle in response to the whole ordeal, glancing at the gigantic columns of the railroad bridge. I'd almost say it was a miracle. I should've been very dead meat, I should've been. Nobody is that lucky. Absolutely nobody. Yet I keep getting out alive from situations which would easily kill the average person. I don't consider myself very athletic, or particularly strong, but it happens. Somehow. And I'm grateful for it. But me surviving that fall sure as shit seems like an act of god. Fucking locusts.

Actually, I should do a voiceover for that accidental recording. It's obligatory at this point, and the context wouldn't make sense without me explaining it.

"I don't know how many of them got in my mouth. My skin wouldn't stop itching. They were trying to lift me up."

The overbearing silence of the forest caught me by surprise. Absolutely nothing happening. No gore, no screams during the moment of death, no hanged bodies. Nothing. Just plants and trees, living in harmony with each other until eternity.

Before these shitsticks came in and fucked that up.

They're still killing their own. Nobody sane was down in this forest, just more deranged followers of Knoth slaughtering because they feel like it. Oh fuck. That means more crazies after me once I get spotted. Oh no, no no no no no... Fuck!

No way but forward. I've gotta find an alternate path to the mines. But the only way is through the railroad bridge. No, There has to be another path. This is a huge natural forest, not a goddamn town. I just have to follow the direction the bridge is pointing to. Not too hard to do.

The recently slain person stood under an especially long pine tree, the burning flame on the arrow long extinguished. Who the fuck were they? I mean, after Marta and Val, they don't seem too far fetched, but still. They killed the shit out of this guy. His face was slightly crispy, but otherwise covered with red scars. It took me a second to realize the person had red scars all over his body, covering him like skin. Oh god, the fuck?! Fucking gross! Who did this to him?

A lone rumpled paper sat on the red scarred person, showing signs of writing as I snatched it into my hands and began to read. The writing was chunky as hell and the grammar was something out of this world, but it was just barely readable enough that I was able to translate it all.

 _My Dere Simeon,_

 _You ben mor then cousin to me sinse we was little childrun an I hope youl help now that im in som trubl spesially on account its to do with medisin. I will jus say plane that I am burnin with sines of the sifilis an afrade I will be sent to liv with them Scalled wich I am terible scaird an hateful to do. An I nown well taint saif to fuck nun but Papa Knoth sinse God an Jesus protecs him from all siknes on this werld but God an Jesus dont protec me nun so I need yur help._

 _God Bless an keep you,_

 _Athaliah_

Simeon? I recognize that name. That's the same guy who got asked about medicine, back in the power generator room in the village. He said a body doesn't need penicillin. This guy says he is burning with signs of Syphilis which is a disease cured by penicillin, and that he is going to be sent to live with the Scalled because of that.

Holy shit. It makes so much sense. The 'sores' they were talking about aren't injuries, they are Syphilis! Disease. That's what the Scalled thing represents. Knoth sends diseased people to the Scalled, which is presumably in this forest. The guy who wrote this letter was talking to Laird, their leader. I remember him calling one of them Laird, then getting an arrow to the face. So that means Laird is the midget with the bow and arrows, the one who fired that flaming arrow, The leader of the Scalled. In his letter to Knoth, he talked about the 'fist of my mount,' which is most likely the giant. Oh fuck, that means they know about the whole outsider thing, and they're gonna figure out who I am as soon as they set eyes on me.

Oh shit.

But who's making them sick? The letter talks about Knoth being immune to all diseases, but that's obviously bullcrap, so there has to be another reason. The letter in the generator room talks about supplying Knoth with penicillin and the like, getting it from the outside world. Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease, so that just leaves the possibility that Knoth is literally fucking random women and giving them STD's, then sending them here once they get sick, and cure himself of the disease with the penicillin the cultists supply him before getting infected again. But what's making him continually sick?

 _ **I know we ain't got a better thing to cover the taste in the water**_

Maybe that's it! The water reserves are filled to the brim with Syphilis, and it's making everyone but Knoth sick because he hoards all the medicine for himself. But then why isn't the rest of the town sick? Okay, damn. I thought I was getting somewhere. But still, I uncovered a lot from that one letter. Just hope I can carry that knowledge to the 'outside world.'

* * *

These trees certainly look like they mean business. The time read exactly 3:13 AM, signaling my need to hurry up. I need to find something like a ravine so I can follow where it leads. I'm not doing anything by strolling around this forest except wasting time and the power left in my camera's single battery. It's almost out of juice, and I very heavily doubt I'll be able to find batteries in this place of nature. The giant Laird rides on uses a yellow glowed lamp, but that's probably gas powered. Fortunately this place is wide open to the moon reflecting the light from the sun towards us folks who are facing away from it. The sun has become such a foreign concept to me that I'm having trouble recalling how it felt to get hit by its temperate sunlight, sunflowers tilting their heads up in response. Fuck, I miss my house.

In my path soon appeared a shallow stream, rushing to whatever current was the most dominant. It's my best shot to stay on a linear path instead of wandering around aimlessly. Just hope it doesn't lead to where the Scalled live. Water always attracts civilization, and especially one that is so primitive relative to the modern world.

My battery power display in my camera began to to flash red, causing the NV to flicker in and out. Come on, hold out a little bit longer. I'll find some batteries for you, I promise. An empty promise, but one that I want. Crouching past a fallen log, I noticed the stream getting wider and a bit deeper, along with the start of faint moans sounding off in the distance. I know you're not sane, fuckers. Can't fool me this time. I swept away an overhanging branch out of my way, causing the tree to go berserk like I just tore it in half. Calm down shithead, I dealt with enough in one night.

Okay, the moans are getting more louder with every step I take. I need to be careful. I just wasted a lot of time plummeting down that bridge, but I still have a few hours left until dawn. I need to get there before Knoth's followers do. If the Heretics can't defend her... I heard with my own ears what they'd do to her, probably gut her stomach and drive their filthy machetes into her neck once they find out her stomach is empty like any other normal woman. I'm still grateful that I managed to get out of their town alive with my whole body intact. I just hope I can say the same for Lynn once I reach her.

I came to a rock hard halt as I noticed something crumple under my boots, stepping back a feet to see what it was. A lonesome paper, stashed near puddly human remains. Okay, I'll read it, but these people really need to fix their handwriting if they are going to be writing letters. Fortunately, this one wasn't a letter, just scribbles of frustrated and angry feelings shaped into words.

 _THIS FUCKWORM MISTOOK HIS BLESSINGS FOR SICKNESS AND TRIED TO LEAVE AND I BROKE HIM. DO NOT MAKE HIS MISTAKES OR COMMIT HIS SINS, GOD AND HIS PROPHET LOVE YOU._

Okay, by the handwriting I can tell that it is Laird who wrote this letter, both by the overly big letters and the corpse he left behind. Holy fucking shit. This thing doesn't even look like it was once whole. Tried to leave? Shit. Is he talking about trying to leave the Scalled? Why would he be so angry then? I thought that Christianity was supposed to be people treating each other with love and support, guiding them to Jesus. Although it's long established that these... meat bags who look like humans aren't devout Christians, but followers of Knoth's cult. My distaste for Christianity started when I was expelled from St. Sybil for something I didn't commit. Loutermilch was there, telling me I wasn't evil, just confused. And that I didn't need to hide my sins, to come out with it. He damn right knew what he did. Bastard!

I scoffed as my camcorder went completely dead, shutting down on its own and leaving me in the darkness without night vision. Fuck.

A bit forward ahead, the hasty assemblage of a few giant boulders was waiting for me. Blocking off the whole path like a malevolent god commanded them to. Okay, this doesn't seem too problematic. Someone already made themselves a way past. I quickly aped up to the tall tree split apart from its trunk, resting on the top of the boulders horizontally. Whoever did this also needs knows how to balance, as my sorry ass almost lost balance and face planted on the ground. A few of the tiny branches off to the side slowly began to splinter apart in their place, thankfully not doing the deed themselves before I made my way past and jumped down to the other side.. Okay, onwards.

These so called people of 'Scalled' aren't nowhere to be seen. This is their land. Their home. They know it better than me. More cobblestone and pebble, mixed together and blended into one. I felt the very oxygen the trees gave out in my skin, brushing past my body like a tidal wave from the North Atlantic. More trees knocked over to the ground, a few acting as a blockade in my path. The runt wheat stalks had their carbohydrates crunched under my rotten boots as I walked over them, kneeling and getting ready to squeeze under the logs. The only open space I could crawl under was also directly on top of the shallow stream, forcing me to soak my clothing in order to get through.

Eugh, this water tastes like copper. How is any of this shit even drinkable? They sure must spend a lot of time cleansing-

My mouth stayed under the water as I watched something skim past just a feet away from me, resembling a breeze of wind whirling past. Oh, god... I choked back a thin whine, trying to keep the pile of bricks restrained up my ass. The stalks were still rustling from the sudden disturbance, taking a while to revert back to their normal state. It took me a few moments to get my bearings straight, trying to fully comprehend what just happened. That scared the fuck out of me. Goddamnit. I quickly crawled the rest of the way without missing a beat, twisting towards the direction the figure was headed for once I was on my feet.

Gone. Probably off to the depths of hell. Okay, I'm not alone out here. Good to know. A little bit ahead were more trees and twigs knocked over, preventing me from progressing the pathway normally. The only way past was to crawl through a hollow tree log, acting like a bridge for ants over the shallow stream that I got a little taste of earlier. Okay, please don't give out under my weight. I got down to my knees before extending my arms out to the log, feeling its coarse surface scratch my skin.

What the fuck was that? An abrupt thunk shook the whole log, sending me down a spiral of a million curses under my breath as I hurried up my ongoing crawl towards the end. Aw shit! Another one came from under the log, rocking the trunk like it was out for a drive through rough terrain. I hurried up to my feet as I shot a swift glance behind, finding nothing but just silence. Okay, onwards. Probably just my weight shifting the thing around.

I took a subtle notice towards the sudden change in intensity of the stream washing my boots, now wide enough to hand out some of its water to the bordering grass. It began to lead me to the right while there was an open path to the left. It was my only way forward unfortunately, seeing as the right path encompassed... well, nothing pleasant.

 _ **SICKNESS HERE**_

 _ **GOD BLESS**_

You could say that about this whole place.

 **Recording**

"Sickness here. God bless. These people were rotting even before they were murdered."

Ugh, fuck! The chain link fence with barbed wire on top stood like the symbol of all my problems on this dreadful night. Horrid stench, random limbs hanging about, a person gently laying dead on the barbed wire. Delightful. The fence didn't let anything but the shallow stream through, and it was also conveniently the way I needed to go if I was to get to the mines.

Bad luck after bad luck. Shouldn't have spent it all while I was in Temple Gate.

God fucking damnit. There's gotta be some other way around. Left it is. I quietly made my over to where the left side went, almost immediately coming upon a set of rocks continually leading me downhill with every drop. No problem. With every cascade, my knees got a bit worse, but my desire for Lynn quickly snuffed it out like a faint candle, letting me drop down the final set without stumbling or letting out a grunt.

Okay, tight path through the depths of a ravine. Not bad. I let the cobblestone and dirt crunch under my feet as I felt around the pitch black area, very much feeling the lack of my NV guiding me through as usual. My camera wasn't completely dead yet, only the extensive functions gone because of their need for a lithium battery. The rest ran on normal ones which last like a few days. Sometimes I hate physics.

"Trust... in... God."

I'm not even gonna ask. Another man, filled to the brim with red scars all over his body. Laying on the ground with agony written all over him. Flies were concentrated around him like he was a corpse, probably picking him clean piece by piece. God. He didn't pay any attention to me however, but his focus was instead on the paper situated just out of his reach.

"I'm going to give this to you later, just need to read it for a second." As much as I knew he was a mindfucked religious zealot, I still felt bad for the amount of suffering he was going through. No one should endure something like that, especially not a disease with such an easy cure like Syphilis.

 _Welcome to this place of spiritual healing! You are scared and you are sick. As you should be. And you are filled with shame. As you should be. You know that you would not be here if not for your own sins. But I can make you wonderful and pure again._

 _When all this sickness first erupted and crusted in Temple Gate, Papa Knoth in his wisdom and_ _kindness recognized it for the spiritual affliction it was. Don't believe those crooked and frightened others if they tell you you're sick with the Syphilis or the Gonorrhea or any other outer world lie. This is a sickness of the soul, and only by purging your soul will you find health._

 _Stay true and stay obedient to God and to Papa Knoth and especially to his Deacon, Laird._

 _God and his prophet love you._

Oh fuck. Knoth has created an entire STD camp just so he can keep on busting a nut, and Gonorrhea? It's not just Syphilis, it's fucking Gonorrhea and Syphilis mixed! I shot a worried glance towards the sick cultist, tossing him the paper and promptly stepping back a few feet to get away from him.

I can easily contract this shit just by existing. That's why the water tasted weird. Oh god, does that mean I'm already infected?! Fuck no! Can't be. No, must be some other reason or something. The water in Temple Gate also supposedly tastes weird, and they aren't sick. That's it.

Hope to god that's it.

The universe didn't agree however, and was trying everything it can to make sure I got infected. Shallow water, leading to a crawlspace which was my only way forward. I made sure to check if there was any other way before kneeling down, putting my head as far away from the water as I could and began to crawl through. My lips were also clasped shut in case any water that got sloshed up didn't find its way into my mouth. Come on...

Fucking gross. Random chunks of flesh stood around me, spreading their foul smell across the air and into my nose, some even light enough to float. I kept my steady distance going until I reached the end, standing up and immediately reaching for my camera to scout the surroundings.

Oh shit. I began to keep low in retaliation to the moans in proximate distance. A campfire was roasting the hasty assortment of fish eviscerated on a pike, turning into a crispy meal for the grotesque person sitting alongside them. He had his palms pressed against each other, waiting patiently for his food to cook. They look kind of tasty, but I can't let anything originating from here reach my innards. That's a one way to ticket to death town if I don't get the right treatment.

Is he friendly? They're sick. They're suffering. I don't think fighting against them will be such a problem, but still. Some of them are strong enough to stand up, and numbers always manage to beat singular strength and willpower if they are numerous enough. My mind reflected back on the midget shooting down one of his followers in cold blood, causing me to wince physically with the impact of the arrow. I need to watch out for them.

I won't find out if they are friendly by just standing around. I'll take a risky shot in the dark and walk up to one of them. Unsheathing my machete from the side of my hip, I kept it out of visibility, my instincts begging me to retrace my steps back to the tall grass.

"He will... He will descend on a cloud of locusts. To cure us our ills. The penitent scalled."

Oh god. Her voice sounded like an old granny with her lips removed, the red scars on her body constantly causing her itches. All kinds of cuts on her body, I guess from all the scratching with her unhealthily long fingernails. Eugh, fuck! Stay away from me.

"He will descend. For our dominion."

More moans sounded off from behind her, inside that wooden house. Shit, more are here. I found where they live. Their town. Thankfully they weren't eager on chasing me like their cult brethren from Temple Gate, who were probably off to suck on each others dicks to celebrate my departure.

"Scalled Christ. Our Christ. Please, God. Please."

I finally managed to stray my eyes away from the campfire, examining the wood pieces underneath supplying them fire. A sick couple were hugging each other resided on a tent, both in a sleep state harder than of a rock. I'll end up like that if I continue to stand around here. Get moving Blake.

"Let him be arrived. He will descend."

You keep on waiting. I decided against exploring that house, however tempting it may seem to be. I followed the path along to the right, passing by another woman with nothing on but panties. She's washing herself. Startled at my sudden arrival, she immediately went to cover her breasts, looking at me with begging eyes. These women were supposedly raped by Knoth, then dumped here for their 'sins.' Ethan talked about his wife getting Scalled too, which means rape. Also did the same to her daughter and demanded to cut open her stomach so he can kill the potential Antichrist inside.

Come to think of it, a lot of those people who wrote the letters I found while I was wandering around in the earlier hours of this night seemed like they were the victims of Knoth and his lusftul hormones. One husband told his wife to find comfort in the arms of Papa Knoth, which probably implies more sexual harassment. Lisa, who wrote that weird letter that talked about wanting to be with Papa Knoth was probably giving him permission to fuck her, so at least some of them gave consent.

So those screams Lynn gave out when she was in Knoth's church...

 _ **You hear Knoth up there? He's doing something nasty with her. The Antichrist is sure to be emerging from her womb.**_

He fucked my wife?! I eagerly ransacked every nook and cranny in my mind to find an insult worthy enough to throw at Knoth, but fell to failure. How could you?! You practically ruined her, you fuck!

I hadn't noticed that I was beginning to take steps forward while I was getting angry over the raping of my wife, failing to notice the figure breeze in from around the corner and promptly spill his guts onto my overalls.

"Agh! God, fuck!" I quickly freed myself from the restraint put on me by his hands, driving my machete into his chest before unlodging it back and kicking him to the ground. He rose his head upwards after inspecting his wound, staring at me with an expression I couldn't make anything of before turning to continue on with his duties.

Ugh, fuck! The front of my parka was completely ruined, the camcorder pouch just out of the reach of the greasy puke. Wash it now! I practically hurled myself at the rippling stream flowing to the right, extending my arms out to the water like an old friend and flinging its water onto my top like an offering from Jesus.

"This is a mercy."

I watched in bewilderment as the man who spewed his innards on me instead belched his load on the stream I just used to wash myself with, a few small quantities of blood coming out along with acid. Fuck! I turned to look at my clothes once again, trying to restrain myself from freaking out. The puke is gone, but I'm not clean. Bacteria, Protista, whatever Syphilis and Gonorrhea is, it's on me. Traveling on my clothes and searching for an entrance into my body.

More diseased stood at the end of the stream, which ended in a shallow cave. They were bathing themselves and each other. Hastily collecting the water between their palms and thrusting it upon their face.

"Be my brother. Burn clean."

Surrealism began to travel up my spine, getting into my brain and popping something inside like it was popping a champagne.

Okay, what the fuck was that? I need to move. I quickly snatched a soaked piece of paper swimming along the stream, dropping it on the ground before zooming in with my camera and starting to read. It was a Gospel of Knoth chapter, and one I haven't read before.

 **Chapter 4**

 _ **1-**_ Hear the prophet Sullivan say: I feared greatly to hear the voices of the Lord, and denied Him in shame and heavy lamentation, rending the hair from my chest, even by the roots, so that blood marked my shanks as blood marks the cunt-passage of a beast born to toil.

 _ **2-**_ And the Lord made known to me in words unspeakable, saying despair not, but open yourself even to me as a wife opens her cunt to her husband and rejoice in creation.

 _ **3-**_ Your shame is not your own, sayeth the Lord, for I am but sore displeased with your fathers.

 _ **4-**_ As ye thrive unjustly in the usury and treasure of thy father's toil, sayeth the Lord, so to do ye unjustly share in the righteousness and shame of thy father's deeds, yea, only your blood is your own.

 _ **5-**_ Therefore, o son of man, sayeth the Lord, turn ye onto me, and I will turn onto you.

 _ **6-**_ Turn ye from your evil ways, turn ye from your unsired rutting, take not pleasure in women unmarked by their natural blood covenant with the Lord, but fuck and multiply as the act was designed of the Lord.

 _ **7-**_ And I am very sore displeased sayeth the Lord, with the Gentile, and with the Heathen, and with the Pharisees of my gifted nation Zion, who take ease in their affliction, and turn they away from the teachings of the prophets.

 _ **8-**_ Therefore, sayeth the Lord, as thine blood is thine own, and your deeds undone, open yourself to me, for the burden of the word of the Lord is thine.

 _ **9-**_ Therefore as the Lord God commanded that I open mine eyes, I did, and did see.

Nothing I can piece together. Except the word 'Heathen.' It's used by cults to name whoever doesn't practice their religion so they can kill them. I assume Knoth is talking about the outside world with that statement. Too bad we don't worship your imagination.

More houses and tents along the way. It's good that Laird takes such good care of his town. Really makes me appreciate him for the great guy he is, I say as I stare down a person with his legs missing, cowering in fear inside his tent.

"I have been penitent. Please. Cure me. I am. I am penitent, I am. Please, Lord."

Are they talking to me? No, probably to the lord. My way forward was to strain my legs a little by walking up this path leaning upwards. Okay, nothing I can't-

"Laird demands more wine."

From up the path came running a person fully on his feet, slashing one of his cleavers towards my face in an attempt to get me out of the way. His sudden appearance had me leaping backwards down to the ground, my lungs forcing a pained cough as I watched the man sprint towards the way I came from.

Moans coming from right near my ear had me jolting up to my feet in an instant, shooting a look behind to see the two sick cultists lay near a campfire. Who would leave them rotting like this? I mean, it's obvious but why? Every one of these guys might've been born in a healthy household, had parents and siblings love them for what they were and take care of them. They would go to schools, and have normal friends and live normal lives out of the command of a cult leader seeking an orgasm. They'd become engineers, doctors or even perhaps someone who could've contributed a great deal to humankind as a whole. But they're here. In an STD camp out in the middle of nowhere, lacking any sort of healthy bond between themselves another individual.

Could say the same about myself.

I carried on towards the path leading up, coming across another shack with a mountain of piss flowing out from an opening under it. A perfectly normal battery stood floating on the filthy urine, reeking with the same stench that filled everything solid, gas and liquid in this god forsaken place. I can't pass it up, sorry immune system. I quickly snatched the Morin brand battery into my palms, letting it dry on my clothes for a bit before inserting it into my camcorder.

The camera gave a soft click before kickstarting back to life, the battery meter now full with both the microphones and the NV perfectly usable. Nice, okay. Just hope any left over urine doesn't mess with the camera. I was giving up hope that I would be able to find any more batteries before arriving to the mines, but it seems that these fuckers are fond of flashlights as well.

Actually, is there any more inside? I'll take a quick look. Without coming in contact with the piss of course.

"You knew the judgement of God, and they which commit such things are worthy of death."

I watched in silence as another disfigured person unlocked the front door of his house and stepped out, shutting it back without locking it after him.

"To not only to do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them."

Oh, fuck. There's a letter inside on an easel. It's another Gospel of Knoth chapter. Shit! Do I risk it? It's not worth it, but I need to read that... Fuck it. I sneaked over to the front door without attracting any hostile attention, flicked it open and lunged at the paper as swift as I snapped a picture of it and hauled ass back to the pisshole. Did I make it? Okay.

 **Chapter 9**

 _ **1-**_ And the hand of the Lord took me by the roots of my innards and put a hook in my jaw and lifted me away from the bones of the dead Zion and the shit of Publican swine.

 _ **2-**_ And in the murk of outer dark I became as a cloud that covers the land and saw many things:

 _ **3-**_ I turned my mind upon the desolate pasts where the history of the Lord should have been writ.

 _ **4-**_ I turned my mind upon the coiled and ignominious now of a great prophet beaten and spat upon as a manged cur.

 _ **5-**_ And finally God turned my mind to the future, of a dark and wonderful burden, of my blade at the throat of the Antichrist child, of my children drunk on the blood of those who would poison the word of the Lord.

 _ **6-**_ And I flew as ravens four hundred miles west, across the land of the Havasupai, who recorded Noah's flood as the work of Hokomata.

 _ **7-**_ And beyond Hokomata's wound that rent this failed Zion, God set me upon a very high mountain.

 _ **8-**_ Then the Lord said cover your uncircumcised eye that you may truly see.

 _ **9-**_ I placed my hand over my immaculate eye, and the Lord spilled such vision into my split and bleeding orb, as man issuing seed into the split sex of a blossomed woman.

 _ **10-**_ Then said He unto me, here is your Temple, and here is your Gate.

 _ **11-**_ And the dimensions, materials, and labor of Temple Gate was made known to me.

 _ **12-**_ And the hands of those who would build Temple Gate were made known to me, and their faces, and their hearts.

 _ **13-**_ Their hearts were filled with fear, but their hands would be willing, and their eyes would see the glory of His kingdom come.


	12. Scalled Christ

"Ah... You all right. You all right. T'aint much of your stomach in it."

The unsparingly diseased identity managed to hold up his vomit from propelling out of his mouth for a brief few seconds, giving an observational look over to his partner currently puking her guts out into the murky bucket.

"You're as the rock of rephidim, this is a font tapped by God, not by any will of yours."

As soon as the final words left his tongue, he sent forth another barrage of disgusting body fluid, missing the bucket by a long shot and accidentally landing his puke on another scalled member laying on the ground.

I stood there staring at them for a while, watching them exhaust their stomachs with a great amount of agony while doing so. Faint traces of rot and flesh the bucket gave off also added to the grotesque image, poking me right in the eyes to block my airways with what was left of my collar. I quickly came out of my stupor and began to evaluate my next possible path. My best option right now was to probably enter this wooden hut these guys were camping near, maybe a battery is in there or something. Worth a try.

"Hm. Look what the cat drug in."

Another pair of scalled members had the kindness to greet me adjacent to the front door, bowing before me and extending their arms out to either side, waiting for me to do something. Okay...

"I need salve. My sores are weeping."

Fuck, this is getting uncomfortable. They leisurely began to inch towards me, not paying one single bit of attention to my lack of approval for their wants. Okay, if the front door has a lock, I can lock it after I get in.

"Help me. You gonna help me."

Shit. No lock. I still made it a firm point to shut it after me, making sure it was tightly in there before turning to the tools of the trade. A single mattress on the ground, the same amber soil that was outside directly beneath it. Knoth didn't bother constructing actual floors for his former sex partners it seems, in contrast to his own village. I guess all that fancy talk in his Gospel of Knoth chapter about seeing the 'labor and builders' of Temple Gate was only valid on Temple Gate.

Other than that, a single wooden chair and a note situated on top of a few wooden sticks were the only things that caught my attention. Horrible living conditions, unclean water, bodies dumped everywhere; This is the perfect set of circumstances for a disease to flourish. No wonder everything has gone to shit. Syphilis is known to cause severe brain damage in the later stages, and these people are well past that. So that may serve as a possible scenario for how everyone around here is out of their mind. Unlikely, but definitely possible. I'll keep it in a back burner.

 _I proclaim the whore Laird, who leads us to infestation._

 _I proclaim the scurvy of Laird, who leads us to damnation._

 _I proclaim the perfidious Laird, who leads us to contamination._

 _I proclaim the deceit of Laird, who bleeds us to annihilation._

 _I proclaim the canker of Laird, who feeds us to extinction._

 _I proclaim the  
Sick semper evello mortem tyrannis._

"This all is the work of God."

I whirled about surprised, finding the puking person from before silently watching me while I read the note. His body was runt to the point of death, and his legs looked like they would crumble apart any second now. But despite that, he still loomed forth in front of the door, blocking my way out of here.

"Can you... can you move?"

I tried to shove him aside, but he just responded by pushing me away. I tried again, almost meeting the ends of a firmly clutched fist before I caught it in mid-air and flung it away.

"Move."

Nothing. The skinny jackass stood there without flinching a muscle, doing nothing except being an annoyance. I could probably kill him if I deemed it necessary, but I wanted to exhaust all my other options before I went on a rampage. The last thing that I need is to get called an outsider again and have my ass hunted across the entire desert.

Goddamnit, okay. The walls are too thick to cut open with my machete, so that's out of the picture. The closed window pane is jammed shut, and not a single word will change that. The only thing I got after trying to open it is a small cut. Probably lightly grazed my finger against a loose strand of wood.

There is no way out of here. Hairs prickled up from the back of my neck, my conscious fully aware of the deranged and sick individual standing right behind me. There is no safe way to get out of this house without harming myself. It's either fight my way out, or crawl through filthy piss. Probably his piss, so I get the same results overall. I slowly began towards the open space beneath the wall, giving a final look over to the runt maniac acting as a barricade for the door.

Fuck. Okay. In and out. I drew in a sharp breath, tensing up my muscles and clamping my mouth shut to avoid any infections. Here I go.

* * *

BLEGH! I stormed out of the fluid as quick as I got in, stumbling towards the ground and barely managing to catch it with my palms before crawling away. Jesus, fuck! My face, my body, my everything! It all feels soggy. Disgusting. Shit! I don't think I'm gonna make it. I'm gonna die alone, stripped bare of any comfort or safety. Maybe I'll fall down a cliff, my body just meat for the surroundings flies... and these guys. Whatever's left of me will silently rot in a corner in the middle of nowhere, while the rest of the world is out having love and sex, going to parties, playing video games, or perhaps just admiring the silence in their bed.

I'm not the only one suffering. Lynn is out there, still breathing and living, going through the same things as me. I'm not alone. Please hang on a little bit longer baby, please. I can't do this without you.

Still wet with urine, I began to make my way up the ascending path towards another hut, fitted with a campfire nearby accompanied by several scalled near it. Nothing remarkable. I'll quickly go see if there is anything inside the house, then come right back out. Even if my blade has to get a little red. I don't give a shit.

"Also the men, leaving the natural use of a woman."

I narrowly avoided getting snatched from my leg by another sick scalled with his back pressed against on a wall near the front door, sitting idly and waiting for something interesting to happen. Thankfully he gave up after one meek try, going back to his duties of burying his head into his palms.

Slowly inching the door forward, I clamped my fingers against the plywood keeping the door together, peeking to the left to spot two mattresses on the ground, one vacant and the other occupied by another cultist.

"They received in themselves that recompence of their error. Vile affections."

The disfigured person suddenly shook up after noticing my presence, turning back over to his bed and enveloping his head inside the pillow to presumably hide his face. Okay, nothing here. I shut the door after my trail, turning towards the campfire where two female scalled were warming themselves near. One was on the ground, barely dangling on the bridge between life and death. The other one was on her feet, mouthing off random sentences and praying to her god.

"For their woman did change their natural use into that which is against nature."

I kept the camcorder steadily trained on her, almost tempted to press the record button. Holy shit, she looks like a zombie. Her face is all kinds of fucked up. Teeth sprawling out of her mouth, the hair on her forehead completely gone, and her eyes almost completely white, only a very faint shade of blue visible when zoomed in. Okay, I'm getting the hell out of here. I'm wasting too much time.

"You've dishonored your own body. Your foolish heart is darkened."

Something wrapping itself around my ankle had me tightly clenching my ass, knocking me over to the ground and getting on top of me. Fuck! She swung her dagger into my breast, tearing through cloth and flesh with ease and letting a terrified shriek out of me. Stay calm stay calm, she swung it again, aiming for the other breast this time.

"God is incorruptible!"

Her blow was cut short by my hand enclosing itself around her ankle, fingernails digging into her skin. I tried to reach for her dagger, but it was difficult to do so from this position. Just fucking let go!

The knife wavered back and forth between us as we both struggled, indecisive about who gets to stick the knife into the other. I had my teeth clashed against each other, my muscles rippling forth with absolute precision. She didn't last long against me as I tossed her aside, the rambunctious thump sounding off from the ground before her figure laid bare, squeezing into a fetal position. Her dagger had also flown away during the struggle, currently burning to a metal crisp in the campfire and safely out of reach. Blood curdled, I began to move away from her until my back pressed against a tree, smoothing along to the ground on my ass.

Oh god. Fuck! My breast. Oh fuck me, oh fuck that hurts. I quickly shoved my hand into the pocket located closer to my hip, pulling out my final roll of bandages and ripping a decently elongate portion out of it.

The cut is deep instead of wide, but it's going to need several gauzes over each other to prevent any Syphilis or Gonorrhea inviting themselves in, if I'm not infected already. The last thing I need is a fucking disease, even if it's symptoms begin to take effect well after I'm either alive with Lynn, or nailed to a tree as a decapitated corpse in some random corner of the woods.

I bit my lip as I began to wrap the white plaster over my breast several times, on the same spot. Damn, this stuff is heavy. I can feel the weight increase with each swathe. Okay, just a few more now.

Done. I quickly pocketed the rest of the bandage and made it a firm point to get it stuck in there, making sure it wouldn't fall out if the need for running my ass off arised. Okay, onwards. Carefully stepping out of the way of the living corpses, I began towards a chain link fence, this time clear of any disturbing signs or gore. It was held together by lean wooden beams, barbed wire tied over them like a knot. You couldn't get this thing open unless you manually removed the barbed wires, so it was probably to keep out outsiders or people they didn't want out of their territory. But isn't this side their territory too?

"Laird?"

The frightened voice coming from the other side snapped my attention back to the fence, prompting me to pull out my camera and hover my finger above the zoom buttons. The scalled member was just situated on the other side of the fence, his attention focused on a hunched figure jogging towards him. At first glance I thought it to be another member, but the infant silhouette on its back with two giant eyes gleaming in the NV of my camera quickly steered me towards the right identity.

It didn't take long before the member was politely greeted with a flaming arrow to the face, lights out in an instant. I watched in shock as his body plunged onto the amber sand, crushing a few mosquitos below that were bumbling about and had no idea what was coming to them.

"I see you again today, I'll pull them eyes from your head and squeeze what they seen out of them."

The giant vocalized something I couldn't make out from my position, resembling a gurgle more than a sentence. Oh, fuck! They are just past this fence. If I run into them, my sorry ass is dead on the spot. Arrows are ranged, the people I have been chased by all had melee weapons, this is a complete flip of the tables.

 **Recorded**

"I didn't even know what I was looking at. Some kind of deformed toddler."

The corpse was hidden well under the wheat stalks, only the insects and the occasional murder of crows would be attracted to it. Doesn't change anything, but nice to know that not every corpse would be taken apart like they were abducted by Area 51 aliens.

I shifted my head towards the left, sighing at the dreadful sight of the slightly inclined path taking me up to a small hillside. The pebbles on the ground crunched up as I stepped over them, trying to find some kind of escalating ledge so I could get to the top. The air was starting to feel more like the chills resembling that of Alaska instead of normal Arizona nights, and I don't even live in Arizona. My body was taking good care of ignoring the cold that would only be a distraction, but there's only so much you could do before it just became too harsh to stray attention from. I haven't been truly inside since I left Marta's slaughterhouse, and it really showed. At least from my point of view.

Come on, there's gotta be something! If I don't find something to climb on, my only path will be to head down there, where Laird and his mount are at. They can't be that far away. Hope to god they don't see me messing around up here. Who knows what kind of sick excuse they'll make up to add me to their body count.

A trail of blood started from the edge of a tree trunk missing its foliage, following the ground and leading me up a ledge like an offering from god itself. Nice, okay. Don't know how I missed that. I quickly thrust myself up to the ledge and hauled the rest of my body upwards, noticing the moist blood that had collected itself on my hands and wiping it on the ground before continuing my progress.

Shit. Another tight ledge. I pressed my back against the rocky wall as I began to shimmy over to the other side, trying to not concern myself with the terrifying prospect of slipping and falling down. A lone campfire stood below, a pool of blood near it slowly evaporating up to the atmosphere. The fall won't be necessarily deadly, but what's down there is another story. The concentration of foliage situated right near the ledge prevented me from observing the area below clearly, but it didn't matter now that I was almost through. Fuck me, I hate doing this.

* * *

Fuck. Okay, made it. Boots in solid ground, I hoisted myself up another bloody ledge, jumping over the next one without needing to utilize my arms. One final haul and I'm up there. I'm glad I never managed to meet Laird, despite him being literally down this hill. I still need to locate a way to the mines, locate a path that leads to the mines. I could've avoided all of this if they didn't have that chain link fence there.

Well, they say everything happens for a reason. Hope mine is a good one. I hurled myself up without wasting any more time, catching the crimson ledge with my fingers. I only managed to catch the brief glimpse of a candle burning inside of a tent before a figure darted into view, his skin completely absent and replaced with oily flesh. He gave me a solid whack to the face as I shrieked out in agony, instinctively throwing myself backwards and painfully colliding with the slope which took whoever was unfortunate enough all the way to the bottom.

"Sh- FUCK!"

A piece of rock hammered itself into my foot on the way down, breaking my flow of momentum and sending me to the air, letting me plummet down the rest of the way. My glasses flew away from my face as I slammed into the ground full throttle, landing somewhere in the puddle of blood situated near the campfire. Augh, shit! I gave out a few wheezes of pain to get things under my own terms, coughing up a few volumes of blood in response. Fuck. Coughing blood means either ruined lungs or cracked ribs. Judging by the copper taste currently in my mouth, I have to go with cracked ribs.

Where are my glasses? Vision blurred, I felt around the dry blood to find them, feeling like an absolute idiot while doing so. There they are, okay. I quickly propped them onto my eyes, staring again at the pool of blood mixed together with intestines with clearer sight. That's gross. My glasses were in that. Hope they didn't contract any diseases, because I'm wearing them.

On my right was the same campfire that I had spied from above, its flames randomly rising and lowering in response to the breeze of air changing its course. Shit, my ribs. The fucker got me good. I could've cracked my head. A lone tent stood in opposite way of the campfire, more crimson stains coated inside. There's that chain link fence where the member got shot by Laird. I've fallen down, so that means I'm on the same side as them now, fully exposed to detection in this forest. The trees aren't going to do much to keep me hidden unless they were thicker, they'll only protect me from Laird's arrows if I run into them, but even that's a complete guess.

They still don't know about my existence. Let's keep it that way. My eyes wandered to the bucket of urine with a battery floating on the top as I made my way past the campfire, ready to dive into this forest. Fuck that. I like my camera but it's not worth contracting a disease for a single battery that's going to need to dry up to even work. I'll pass.

Smaller tents were lined up against the rocky walls, presenting me another choice to hide in if I got spotted by anyone hostile. My best bet is to keep low and avoid making eye contact, that way they won't mistake me for an outsider. Should probably utilize my hoodie too. Okay, let's go. I don't think getting any vaccines could protect me from getting infected in this disease haven.

The misty fog ahead made it difficult to see anything beyond a few yards, and would most likely prevent me from spotting anyone not donning a flashlight or a lantern.

"Praise God and his prophet Knoth."

The amber lighting of a kerosene lamp clicked on in the distance, the blazing trail of an arrow soon following right behind. Shit! The arrow almost caught me in the noggin as it whizzed past, landing somewhere behind me.

"We have found the Scalled Christ."

OH, FUCK ME! It's them! I made an instantaneous U-turn and and made a straight beeline towards the tall grass bordering against one of the bigger tents, crouching low and keeping still as possible. They spotted me. Fuck. Let's hope they didn't see me hide under the grass.

The hunched figure soon appeared after my trail, casting his flashlight around the general area to pinpoint my location. Thank god for the bandages around one of his eyes, or I might've been dead right now. Go away, go away, go away. My knees ached from trying to hold still, beads of sweat rolling down my cheeks. I quietly began towards the woods without making much ruckus, taking advantage of their lack of attention on the tall grass. They were instead interested in the tents, scouring each of them of them carefully and firing off an arrow inside them if they thought something was moving.

Who the fuck are these guys? I know they obey Knoth, judging by the letter I found in the chapel, but what do they want with me? Knoth wouldn't inform them of my outsider status, because he wouldn't be even entertaining the possibility of me escaping his town. Classic egomaniac behaviour. So what do they want?

Question for another moment. Preferably a calm one. I winced as Laird shot an arrow inside the final tent, spewing out quite colorful language while slapping his mount in the forehead. I think it's time to hustle. If I can make it through the woods without attracting their attention, I might have a chance to stay alive and set back on the path towards the mines.

Okay. Let's go. I jolted up to my feet and began to make a break for it towards the woods without glancing behind, my heart pounding in my chest and muscles tensed up. It didn't take long before the sound of my hasty footsteps reached their ears, their bow and flashlight fixed on me respectively.

"There he is! Our Messiah, get him!"

You're not catching me fuckers! I brushed past a set of branches blocking my way, tossing them aside without taking a glance. Arrows one after the other began to flit past my head, each one close enough to the target. Oh god, where the fuck am I going?! More infected scalled were blocking my way, causing me to turn all sorts of directions. Am I heading back or towards a wall?! The surrounding trees were blurs breezing past my vision, only the ones knocked over on the ground giving me trouble. I was also trying to avoid scalled cultists with their legs missing, trying to make me trip and fall, deliver me to their master.

"So clean!"

Shit! The emaciated cultist managed land a swift socket into the side of my head, previously hidden behind a tree. No! Get off! He dug his bony fingertips into my neck as I catched him in his eyes, trying to claw them out in response. Come on! They're getting close! I managed to pin him against a tree as one of Laird's arrows planted itself into the trunk, barely missing the cultist's head. Fuck, he's stalling me until they come! I need to do something. I stopped my struggles and kept him steady by his shoulders, whipping out my machete and slashing it sideways towards his chin.

"Messiah!"

Another arrow went between our heads, soon followed by another swing of my machete towards his chest, but he was having none of it. Instead, I swung him away from the tree and towards the open space where he could be kicked away. Just fucking let go! Let go! I couldn't kick him away, he had my legs restrained. My only option was to rock him back and forth, hoping he would loosen his grip so I could break free and bolt away.

"You worms! Your weakness affected our Messiah."

I stood there in complete astonishment as a swift thwack originating from the back of his head caused the cultist to cease his struggles and slump over on my arms. What the fuck?! Laird shot him. I quietly dropped him to the ground, my eyes locked on the arrow that had solved the skirmish for me.

"Nick, be ready to grab him!"

OH FUCK! The bulky fist of the giant barely grazed by my hair before I ducked down, eyes bulging out of my skull. I swiftly whirled around on my heel and took off deeper into the woods, my heart literally begging to break free from my chest. It all felt like a blur; the momentary trees brushing past, scalled members trying to grab me but failing to do so, tossing aside branches acting as blockades on my path. It all ended with another arrow whizzing past my head, snapping me back to reality.

"Stop him! Bring back our Messiah!"

Dammit! Where does this forest end?! The distant glimmers of campfires quickly caught my attention, acting as a beacon to my next destination. That's where I need to go!

"Heal me."

I almost flew headfirst into a tree as something snagged me by my ankle, thrusting my hands forward to absorb the impact. What in?! Fucker! The crawling cultist had me firmly trapped in place, further squeezing his hands into my ankle to stop my escape until Laird arrived. No! I can see the houses, I'm so close! I clashed my teeth together in anger, letting out a cry of fury before hurling my boot straight into his face, finally breaking free from his hold. Lay down and rot, you fuckstick! He seemed to be dead, but I didn't really give a shit at this point. I quickly hauled ass the rest of the way, dodging a campfire before rattling the door into one of the houses.

Jammed. Fuck! I tried the other one, but it too was a stubborn piece of shit as well. I threw an angry kick towards the base before going over to squeeze between the wooden shacks, letting out a sigh of relief now that they couldn't follow me here. Okay, sound and safe. I shuffled along the tight space until it came to an end, placing me in the safe confines of a blue locker.

"You don't have to hide, Blake."

Also safe from him. Loutermilch stood past the thin slits connecting me to the outside world, swaying his head back and forth in an attempt to search for me until he disappeared out of sight. Oh, fuck. I'm back in the school. Back inside my mind. That means I'm sleep walking in the real world, unable to do something against an attacker until they were right in my face. Goddamnit, this is gonna get me killed. I'm legitimately going to walk off a cliff and kill myself, or walk right into the heart of danger itself and promptly have my innards turned into outards.

Wait. I remember this. This is a few hours before I found Jessica slumped over half dead on the bottom of that staircase, Loutermilch watching over us from the top like god itself. We hid in those lockers, and waited for him to go away until we emerged back out. Oh god. Please, I don't want to live through this again. Please. I don't want to see her like that, ever again. I had finally forgotten it, I had finally let it go, but ever since I got the news that Jane Doe was found dead, my mind suddenly jumped back to the past and put her frightened voices in my dreams, haunting me and tormenting me.

I was scared of falling asleep after that for a solid week until we rented that helicopter for a trip to this hellhole. My memories of her I didn't want to recall again, they were following me back. I couldn't get a good night of sleep, not without dreaming of her cries before jolting up awake like a kid awoken from a silly nightmare by her mother. Ever since I came here, the effects seemed to have been amplified somehow, literally dreaming of my school while I am wide awake.

There was no hospital footage I needed to compile. It was just an excuse to avoid falling asleep, to keep her from worrying about my lack of sleep. She was worried enough as it was. I wasn't saying that I loved her after phone calls, I wasn't living in the moment anymore, but was actively thinking about Jessica instead of Lynn. I wasn't showing up to any meetings, even the ones I did show up to were spent contemplating about Jessica's death. Lynn noticed. She offered that we go to a therapist after she caught me muttering Jessica over and over again under my breath, but I politely refused while trying my best to keep on the act.

That's why I need her. She has always been there for me, while I wasn't there for myself. She reminded me that I was still valued and loved, even without my real parents to take care of me. She did everything I thought only angels were capable of, and gave me a purpose to live for. Now she is stuck with deranged psychopaths who think she is going to give birth to the fucking Antichrist. She doesn't deserve that. No one does. My best chance to redeem myself for both Jessica and Lynn is to go save her. I know I can, I've come pretty far already.

Okay. Let's find a way out of this dream. I gently pushed the locker door open, peering over the side to check if Loutermilch was still there.

"This way, Blake."

It's her. She motioned me to follow before ambling towards the open doorway at the far end of the corridor, not even taking a glance behind her to see if I was obeying her command.

"Jess, come back!"

The bell rang its echoes across the hollow corridor as I began towards the path she took, voices of happy children soon following behind me. I didn't pay no mind as twisted to the right where she wandered off to, spotting her camouflaged silhouette behind the shadows. She motioned at me again, this time taking off through a doorway into a more brightly lit corridor.

"We're not alone here."

Yeah, we're not. Judging by the annoying voices of the kids bantering at each other endlessly. Where are you taking me, Jess? This time the hallway was more cramped, a pallid cement wall putting a firm end to the corridor. Two doors stood at opposite ends of each other, one rigidly shut and the other wide open to any curious soul wanting to take a look inside its contents. Where did she go? It's weird isn't it? This is all the work of my own mind, but me, my mind, wants to catch her, while I am making her run away myself.

The room was labeled 111 B, the familiar scintillant of the computer illuminating the wall it faced and the desk it was on. I remember, this is the room of Shelly Parham, who was a guidance counselor. I had heard that Jess talked to her in physics education class about Loutermilch. I had managed to sneak into her room and ransack her computer until I found the e-mail about Jessica. Let's see if my mind remembers it enough to fabricate it before my eyes. I paid no attention to the shelves and the classic clock implanted on the wall as I went over to her computer, pressing Enter to open the e-mail page.

 **Date:** December 6, 1995

 **From:** Shelly Parham shellyparham. altazista . com

 **To:** vp altazista . com

 **Subject:** Jessica Gray field trip

 _Fr. Porcari,_

 _I took Miss Gray out of phys ed today to have a little talk with her. Father Loutermilch was telling me he's worried that she's a touch more sensitive than is good for her. (And I don't doubt it, poor girl. I know you've dealt with her dad and his big personality, and her mother was a real tragedy. God rest her soul.) But anyway Fr. Loutermilch says he thinks it might not be a good idea for Jessica to go on the field trip to the piano factory and I tend to agree. She seems like a decent risk of a runaway._

 _On top of which, her father's signature on the permission slip is a little embarrassing in what an obvious forgery it is. So I'll need your say-so to suspend permission, we'll put her on library study for that day._

 _Shelly_

 **SHELLY PARHAM**

 **Guidance Counselor**

 **St. Sybil School**

Fucking Loutermilch. I was looking forward to spending that field trip with her, but he had to ruin it too. I don't know why he did it honestly, seeing as Jessica was locked up in the library studying and he had no way to reach her. Guess I'll never know, though his sick motivations were clear as day.

My arm twitched to the right as a loud clunk from the ceiling gave out, almost sounding like wood instead of metal. I must be walking around, who knows where I am right now. Probably already puked on by several scalled, and a flaming arrow to my thigh to go along with it nicely. I need to hurry. I don't know if time passes faster or slower here, but living things tend to move around. There isn't much time left before my location gets found out and I get killed. Let's go.

I quickly rushed out of the room and began towards an open doorway at the far end of the hall, hidden from plain sight with the help of darkness. I didn't want to use my NV, seeing as I had no more batteries left in my possession. I need to conserve, and only use it when it is absolutely necessary. Like in the real world where I can get murdered at.

Another priest room. A phone on the desk, a computer lay shut. Several folders absent of any files. A poster on the wall saying _What would Jesus do?_ Nothing remarkable. Fuck, okay. I tried to get the final door open, sighing in response when it refused to swing open, just like I anticipated. Don't know why I did that, probably just out of habit. This corridor held nothing that would be an object of usefulness to my cause, so I exited and returned to my previous path. I need to find Jessica again.

I passed by a trash can before diverting my path towards the open door directly on my right, my heart pummeling into my ribs as the thousand suns generated an energy unfathomable to mankind. The fluorescent lights above pulsed in an alarmingly rapid manner as they illuminated the hallway before me for a split second, crimson webs of blood dipping in and out of the walls. What the fuck?! They soon stopped after I thought to record the whole ordeal with my camcorder, propping it up to my eyes to watch the static recording.

 **Recorded**

"The gift of music and mathematic and love. Those fleeting moments in which music and love become the same thing."

The garbled voice persisted on conveying its cryptic messages over to me, not even making a lick of sense with them. What does that mean? It's pointless pondering, I need to keep on my toes.

Wait, what was that? I opened the recording again, pressing Play and watching the static with unbreakable focus. There it is again! Some sort of symbol. Resembles the letter M. Why? It pops up for just a moment then goes away. Okay, fuck me. What am I doing? I need to get on with it already. I've wasted too much time. Doors lined up against both walls, leading into the rooms the priests did their work in. Some of them opened, some of them didn't. The only thing worthwhile inside them was the nostalgia. Chunky computers, the sloppy handwriting, the tidy cardboard boxes containing files about the students. Nothing much.

I hastily stepped out of the tight corridor into another one, catching the glint of a fire extinguisher on the wall before setting my eyes to the right. More lockers lined up against the tiled cement walls, all of them leading into an open doorway at the far end of the hallway.

 **O be careful little eyes what you see, O be careful little eyes you see...**

Singing. Both Loutermilch and Jessica now. They were the singing that song he teached us both. Shit. I can't take much more of this. I want out. I moved along the corridor, passing by a few group projects we did together as a class. They were surely dust by now, but it's nice that I remembered them until today.

 **There's a Father up above, and He's looking down in love, So be careful little eyes what you see...**

I pushed open the door left ajar on my right, pulling out my camera to see through the pitch black.

 **O be careful little hands what you do, O be careful little hands what you do...**

Upturned chairs on the desks, nothing unusual except the transparent paper situated on top of the desk at the very corner of the classroom. Must be another hangman page. Let's see what it says. I quickly plucked it up towards my eyes, pushing my glasses back up to my face in the process.

ST RANGL_

Strangle. Fuck me. I reflected back on her hanged corpse, limp like a rock, eyes shot with blood. Her skin was pale, and a huge red mark had formed on her neck once the doctors removed her from there. The stickman wasn't hanged yet, so that meant Lynn and Jess didn't bother with this one.

 **There's a Father up above, and He's looking down in love, So be careful little hands what you do...**

Okay, let's book it out of here. I shot out of the classroom like a bullet, twisting to the right and clearing it between the lockers until coming across an intersection. The front and the right were blocked off with duo doors refusing to open. Behind was where I came from, so the left side was the only option that remained.

 **...So be careful little mouth what you say.**

Their singing stopped. Okay. I left that little tidbit of mystery to its own as I focused on what was in front of me. A metal ladder consisting of only three steps leaned against the duo doors, their window slits revealing the room where I had been before, with the drawn hangman on the wall with Jessica's name scribbled everywhere. Funny how it all comes around. Not really but whatever.

It looked like repairman work, with the workers focused on the absent panels up on the ceiling. I don't remember this, but surely my mind must've stored it into my memory bank unbeknownst to me all this time. Okay, climbing up into the panels is my only way forward, and as much as I don't like the idea of going back into the vents, it's the place where I came in and out of my hallucinations. It's worth a shot. I gently stepped my boots onto the iron steps, wary of how much weight they could withstand. Probably not that much, but a few seconds won't harm anybody. I quickly thrust my body up to the panel without wasting any more precious time, hauling the rest of my body up into the cramped metal space.

 **He's coming**

Wait, where am I? What I thought would be a cold metal surface turned out to be hard timber, extending all the way down and leading to a temperate campfire near a blood soaked tent. Fucking hell, I'm back. In another hollow tree trunk, it seems. How the fuck did I manage to wedge myself in here? It's happening again. I'm in a complete different location than where I entered my hallucination from. I need to be more careful.

I inhaled and exhaled in rapid succession as I dragged myself through the log, slowly making my way to the exit. Where are they? Laird and his followers. The last time they were chasing me, they didn't seem to follow behind my trail after I got sucked into the school vision. They apparently didn't even try to find an alternate path, seeing as I was still intact and breathing. That means I'm safe, I lost them. For now. They're still searching for me, their motivations clearly deprived of any peace but instead filled with suffering.

Something I couldn't describe didn't settle with me right, about how they didn't follow me in those houses. Laird and... Nick? They wouldn't be able to, but their followers were skinny enough to squeeze through that opening, but they didn't. What are they planning with me? Laird called me his 'Scalled Messiah' and I've had several scalled ask me to cure their sicknesses. Messiah means Jesus, or the Son of God. But that didn't sit right with me either. Knoth called me an outsider and a sinner, but these guys are calling me their Messiah. Something doesn't add up here. Perhaps a disconnect of information about me between Knoth and Laird? I decided that the best course to take is to not think about it. I know where my wife is, I know who has her, I know the path I can take to her, nothing else matters. Save Lynn, ponder about these religious zealots and their odd culture later.

I was caught off-guard as the whole tree suddenly began to rock back and forth without any warning beforehand, muffled speech from just a few feet away reaching my ears.

"He's in there. Try harder!"

Oh, fuck! That's Laird's voice. Oh god, how did they know I was here?! FUCK, FUCK! I held onto the sides of the log with both hands, digging into them with all I could muster. What the fuck are they doing?! The wobbling quickly got more violent and harsh as the notion that I wasn't coming out planted itself into the minds of whoever was outside. Despite my best efforts to minimize any injuries, my head smashed against the hard timber several times, each bang threatening to send me into unconsciousness or a concussion. Shit, come on! They can't fish me out of here, so all I gotta do is to stay in this log and make my escape when they are distracted.

They're getting impatient. Fuck fuck fuck! They gripped the hollow trunk from the bottom, lifting it up into the air and shaking it that way to get me out. Whoever the fuck was out there, they were strong. I tried to absorb the impacts with my arms, but for each blow I avoided, three more came hurling into my head full force. I don't know how many times I pummeled against the rigid wood before I was soup, spilling out of the far end of the tree trunk like a dazed jackass.

"No! NO! Let go! Fuck!"

A pair of followers were ready to greet me once I made my painful departure from the hollow log, grasping me by my arms as they lifted me to my knees, dragging me to the familiar hunched figure like a christmas present.

"Give him to us! Let us have him!"

Oh, shit! NO! My struggles pertaining to my need for freedom amounted to nothing before the giant snagged me closer to him by my collar, forcing me to get on my feet in the process. I swayed my gaze upwards towards Laird, catching him grin with sick pleasure before he turned his stare up into the sky. Oh god, what do you want from me? What fuck are you gonna do with me?

"Oh praise God and his prophet Knoth. Praise God."

Nick had his hands practically bolted into my shoulders, keeping me firmly in place for Laird to enjoy. Only a lone follower held me by my right arm, his face filled to the brim with red sores even the Devil wouldn't touch.

"Forgive me, Lord. I have to be sure."

I watched in utter confusion as Laird snatched an arrow from the quiver Nick donned, slowly driving it into his palm for a reason I couldn't hope to figure out. Fresh blood oozed out as he squeezed the self-inflicted wound, popping another smug grin onto his face before slowly turning towards me. Oh shit, I might be in trouble. I struggled against Nick's solid grip for the final time, only resulting in him digging his stiff hands into my shoulders even more.

"Open his mouth, Nick."

Fuck! I knew what was coming. I tried my absolute best to resist against the giant's strong fingers crushing against my chin, sliding it downwards and waiting for Laird to do his part. I wrapped my hand around his wrist, but his grip didn't even flinch a muscle as I tried to yank it away. I could feel the uncontrollable tingle creep up on my spine that was the helplessness working its way into my brain, letting me know there was absolutely nothing I could do to prevent the inevitable from happening this time. Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, no magical crank or hook for me to find, no miracle that'd save me from this situation. Nothing.

A single tear formed inside my eyeball, letting loose and gently rolling down my cheek. It was the symbol of my hopes, my positivity, my eagerness to go save Lynn. Innocent looking, on its own, and caught between a war between two religious groups arguing over which god was right. But the tear didn't care. It just wanted its loved ones, to love and be loved. To be free of torment, to be free of evil. But sometimes even the innocent ones don't get what they want.

The tear dissipated into nothingness as Laird drove his Syphilis infected wound right into my face, grunts of my agony and disgust echoing off into the distance, no one sane enough to respond to its cries for help. Eugh! Bleugh! SHIT! NO, STOP YOU MANIAC! STOP! His hand wavered towards my mouth, dipping his fingers into my tongue and expecting me to swallow. I had no choice but to comply.

"Yes, swallow it. There you go."

It felt like an eternity while I was trapped under Laird's infected hand rubbing on my face, but it must've been only seconds before he stopped and returned back to his original position. Fucker! AUGH, SHIT! His blood tastes like mercury, and now I'm infected! The morbid realization creeped up on me like a leopard, prompting me to repeat the phrase for emphasis.

I'm infected.

"God, please. Let him be the one."

I spat out a few licks of Syphilis brimming blood towards Nick, who was more than unfazed with the act. I turned my attention towards hordes the scalled concentrated behind Laird and Nick, waiting for us to do something. What? I don't like this one bit, I need to find a way to break free. I can't just stand and watch these lunatics toy with my sanity and body like I was a stuffed toy. There has to be a way.

"He is unmarked. He is pure."

I snapped my attention to the right as I noticed the follower pulling my sleeve up to my shoulder, inching his face towards the exposed skin with rotten teeth reeking ten times worse than Marta's slaughter house.

"He is the Scalled Messiah."

I howled in pain as a sickening crunch overtook the air, teeth ripping through my skin as I fully registered the situation. Laird wasted little time before delivering a firm slap to his cheek. The cultist quickly backed off without complaining in the slightest, wiping his mouth on his arm to get rid of the blood he drew on my arm. Agh, shit! Gritted teeth helped me ease off the pain, and it even helped to calm me towards the notion of how absolutely fucked I was.

"You halfwit dog's cunt! He ain't been transubstantiated yet."

That fucking hurts. How sharp were his teeth?! My groans still continued, sounding off all the while Laird was spouting his bullshit. What transubstantiation? What the fuck?

"He ain't been... reborn."

He swayed his gaze and began to stare up into the distance, seemingly deep in thought. Followers made ready on their toes as though they were waiting on Laird, all focused in him and his words. Even me.

"First we gotta get him on that cross."

Huh?

"Get my hammer and nails. Let's get on up that hill."

My blood ran cold. The cultists all wandered off to random directions while mouthing off something between them. Laird tapped on the forehead of his mount and pointed his index finger towards my head, getting an obedient nod in response. He wasted no time as he jammed his fingers together, forming a fist. I was promptly met with his unyielding knuckles as he drove them into my face, knocking me out like a light into the spiral of unconsciousness.

* * *

"He will come born on locusts' wings, immaculate as a newborn."

A firm yank quickly snapped me out of my brief haze, turning my head revealed that Nick had his hands clamped down on my ankles, dragging me through the dirt without a care in the world. Oh fuck, where are they taking me?

"He will give us his gospel, the sacred words of His teaching."

They were dragging me through a colony of scalled all living in crumpled tents, most of them outside to see what all the commotion was about. It was about me, and the many ways how I was going to be fucked beyond recognition. Again, I had no way to wiggle my way out of this. My opponent was simply just too powerful.

"He will be nailed to a cross and die, and he will be buried."

You! Help me. Someone. Please. They all just minded their own business, walking around as if everything was normal. Someone, please! Hey, you...

"But he will rise again in more perfect flesh."

What the fuck is he on about? Nailed to a cross and buried?! Is he talking about me?

"We will eat of that flesh in holy communion and be healed of our physical sins."

We were heading into the dark areas of the forest now, the scalled members hiding themselves beyond the shadows, watching. Please help! Help.

"And we shall inherit this broken earth."

I swung my gaze to the right to check what was there, and was unpleasantly surprised when I locked eyes with a familiar figure partially hidden behind a tree. Loutermilch? What the fuck is he doing here?! Before I could get a good look at him, the giant grasped me by my collar, ready to lift me up into the air. Behind him stood a cross with two cultists situated on either side, eagerly waiting for us to arrive.

"You see? We prepared everything. It's all ready for you."

He hoisted me upwards without breaking a bead of sweat, holding me near the cross and waiting for Laird to finish his speech. Fuck! This is bad. This is very fucking bad.

"What? Don't do this. Please."

A few followers had gathered into a crowd behind us, watching them torture me for a prophecy that wasn't true. And I think about to be nailed to a cross. I gave out a whimper reeking of helplessness, gawked at my current situation.

"Where is your gospel? You're supposed to have a gospel for us. To guide us in our salvation after the end."

Ah shit. I struggled to get the words out of my mouth, scared out of my mind. What are they planning? Oh god...

"Gospel?"

He nodded in response.

"The truth. Your guidance."

With Laird's approval, the giant got to work and sternly set me down on the cross, consisting of a pair of wooden beams merged together to form the biblical structure. The two followers set my arms down on the either sides of the horizontal beam, keeping them in place for the nails currently residing on Nick's hand, a rusty hammer in the other.

"We suffered a long time, waiting on you."

How fucked was I? I was so fucked. Completely at the mercy of religious sadists about to fucking crucify me like Jesus Christ himself. I was simply a toy, arms trapped under the tight holds of rotting cultists, legs left dangling about. Nick slowly trudged over to my right side, softly pressing the corroded nail above my palm. Oh fuck! This is really happening.

"Well, Old Nick. I guess we better put those nails in."

WAIT! WAIT! A swift rush of adrenaline breezed past me, the reminder that I needed to be struggling. I swung my legs back and forth, tried to get my hands free, but nothing that I could do in my power stopped Nick from swinging that hammer over his shoulder and bring it down into the nail residing above my palm, forcing the thing through my skin and into the flesh. AAGGHH! NO! STOP YOU FUCKERS! NO! Bones crackled and twisted as another swing drove the nail deeper into my skin, tearing through veins and flesh effortlessly.

Slow wheezes of pain erupted from my voice cords, trying to let the immense pain subside. I can feel the nail inside me. FUCK! A final batter caused the nail to bend sideways, ripping through more skin and shrieks of pure agony pouring off. UNGH! Oh shit. Oh shit. Okay, calm. It looks like the nail failed to get into my palm correctly. What are they gonna do now?

Nick didn't let me ponder the question as he picked up another nail from his pocket, positioning it above my palm and near the other one. He wasted little time before smashing it into my skin with the help of his hammer, causing me to grit my teeth in response. I can do this. I can do this. I can get through this. Another wail echoed out from me as the nail shredded more bone, not even getting a moment's rest before it was forced deeper into my hand. FUCK! I didn't dare close my eyes in the fears of what they might do next, such as slitting my tongue or removing my eyes.

Is it over? He stopped. I inhaled and exhaled, waiting for the pain to go away so I could have a look at Nick's work. The first nail was barely wedged in, unlike the second one which was deep enough to emerge out of the other side. Another surge of pain caused me to wince away, but the nail implanted on my hand prevented me from doing so.

"Good. Good. That wasn't so bad, was it?"

I can't move my fingers. Why the fuck can't I move my fingers? Fuck my life. Fuck it. I'm knee deep in shit I'm not qualified for, and I'm paying the price for it. I've got several nails dug through my palm, and I couldn't do shit about it. Fuck!

"What's this? Nick, hand me that!"

I caught Laird staring at my waist before he spoke the words, prompting Nick to fumble with my pouch for a bit before managing to figure out the lock system, shoving his hand down and coming out with my camcorder in hand.

"Is that a camera? A record?"

Laird quickly had it in his grasp after a quick slap to Nick's forehead, putting it up to his face and staring at it intently. I don't what he is going to do with it, but I sure as hell hope he doesn't wreck it. All the hardships I went through are in there, I can't let that be taken away from me by a midget and his oversized mount.

"Of course. How could I not see it? A modern Christ would use a camera, not a book."

What the fuck? Is he saying that the camera is...

"This is our gospel! How could I not have known?"

He messed around with the camera's buttons, trying to figure out how it worked. I simply stared in bewilderment, watching this thing fumble around with my camera, pressing buttons that weren't even related with its On/Off functions. My camera is a gospel? I would normally let out a chuckle at that, but the nails in my hand made it hard to do so without causing me more pain.

"Lord, please forgive me for doubting you. There is no suffering I do not deserve. I am a worm. A festering wound, I..."

He flipped open the visor and opened the video recordings, flicking through them in chronological order. I could see from here. He chose the recording containing my walk through the railroad bridge, coming across the locusts and promptly plummeting down into their territory. This could've been all avoided if not for those tiny fuckers. I've got a hole in me.

"I must... I must study His lessons."

Is he going to let me go? I tried to rip my hand out of the nails, failing miserably when they just shredded even deeper into my flesh.

"Drive the other nail in and hang him up!"

NO! NO! The giant began towards the woods surrounding us, not bothering to give me my camera back and leaving me with the pair of cultists still holding me down by my arms. The one on my left readied his own hammer, this one a bit less threatening looking than Nick's.

"You are the light of the world. You are my way. You are my strength..."

It didn't change a damn thing. The hammer clunked against the nail as it hacked its way into my other hand, exposing a few strands of cartilage along the way.

"AUUGHH! HNNGH!"

Two swings were enough to dig the oxidized nail through my veins and flesh, pressed against the joint of my ring finger. My head slumped over to the side like a broken mechanism, directly facing the starry sky with half open eyelids. The pain is too much, I think I'm gonna pass out. My eyes forced shut on their own, my brain beginning to lag. I can feel the change in altitude, I assume it's them lifting up the cross to face the trees. I wasn't paying much attention. The only things I could feel were the nails stuck inside my palms, and the thought of my wife looking at me and smiling. That alone managed to put me at ease, weakening the sharp pain only by an inch as it continued to pester my brain with its signals.

The light breeze brushing past. It reminds me of something.

Lynn.


	13. Hanged for Display

"Hey Blake, brought you your lunch."

I felt her softly jerk my shoulder, snapping me out of my crestfallen thought train. She took her seat right near mine, amplifying her voice to drown out the inaudible chatter going on around us. Lethargic, I dragged my hands away from my face, placing them on the cold table near my lunch tray.

"Thanks, Lynn. I really appreciate it."

I turned towards my tray without saying anymore, examining the tools of the trade I was about to eat. A lone pickle situated at the corner, soup that would barely feed an infant, and some rice that was the main thing I came down to the cafeteria for. The school didn't allow too many unknown recipes due to the risk of them being stale, so we were stuck with tasteless garbage that only served to keep our tummies full.

"Have you heard what happened to Jess yesterday?"

The unnerving silence was broken with the sudden question, prompting me to raise an eyebrow towards her direction. What had happened?

"Her father beat her again. This time she had to go to the hospital due to her sore ribcage. My parents didn't let me visit her, so I left a note in her locker to send my prayers once she's back in school."

As much as I wanted to be shocked, this type of news wasn't too bad in contrast to what was happening to her in the last few weeks. I returned to eating my lunch, favoring silence over worrying Lynn even more.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" She grumbled, staring at me with the side of her eye while she focused on her lunch. I wasn't too keen on telling her, especially not the latest incident with him.

"Is... something on your mind? You seem weirdly silent."

I wanted to tell her, but I didn't want him getting any ideas with her after she found out I told her.

"It's nothing. I'm just tired."

I took another bite of my pickle, trying to drown out the voices of children with excessive crunching. My head was a little fuzzy, lines streaking my vision. I just wanted school to be over and go home. The school uniforms didn't protect against the encroaching winter, so me and Lynn sometimes hugged each other while no one was around to keep ourselves warm.

"So... did you tell Jess that we kissed a few weeks ago?"

"It was only for a moment!"

"Uh huh."

I dragged my front teeth across my lower lip, wondering what would Jess do if she found out. Lynn was the person I wanted to marry when I grew up, but Jess... I took the last bite out of my pickle before nodding her way, ripping out a napkin from the box.

"Don't worry. I told her we haven't kissed yet. But I said we'll do it soon, and it won't be with her. Just to make her jealous. Hehe."

I wish we did.

* * *

My sore eyelids snapped open as a round of frigid wind jostled me full in the face, breezing by and continuing along its path. It took me a moment to recollect everything. My feet were dangling above the ground, their heels pressed against the wooden beam digging into the earth. The trees overhead gave a clear hint to my whereabouts, their leaves nowhere to be seen.

Oh, fuck! I swerved my head apace, the throbbing ache returning to my senses as I locked eyes with the nails ingrained to my palm. Fuck! I turned my gaze to the left, spotting my left hand almost free from the tender bind of the oxidized nail. How long did I pass out? Could've been hours, could've been minutes. There was no sign of their activity, much less any footsteps indicating that they walked through here. The night was silent like Death cursed it.

My breathing began to take a panicked pace as they intensified, having trouble exhaling themselves out of my lungs. Oh, shit! No no no no no no! My legs. They aren't nailed to the cross like my palms. These nails are going to give out under my weight sooner or later, or I'll just die due to suffocation. Every breath I took felt like I was lifting a truck, barely making it out of my respiratory system before mixing in with the stimulating winds. Mountain air, they called it.

Another chirr sounded off from the wood as the nails worked their way through, lowering for a slight inch against the force of my bones. ARGH! These nails look much more loose than they did when Laird and Nick were still here. In fact, if I can position my legs to thrust against the cross, I bet it'll come right off. But it won't be pretty. I'm barely hanging on as it is, ripping off one hand means putting even more pressure in the other. The nail will just shred straight through my hand and leave a massive scar in its place. I'll give it a few hours before I die because of blood loss.

I need to get free from this. It's clear they want me dead on this thing, or they wouldn't be talking about burying me after crucifixion. It's only a matter of enough time before they decide to check up on my progress towards oblivion, and do the job themselves. It's either die, or rip myself off this cross. Two options, there's literally nothing I can do in my power to get free without enduring pain. My face is still wet with Laird's filthy blood, his disease now inside of me. I need to get my hands on that penicillin they keep talking about, but I've got more things to worry about than Syphilis that'll take years to turn me into them. I'll either be dead or alive, depending on my situation.

Infected with every disease known to man, my camera jacked and possibly lost forever, my wife still captured, and I'm the person they chose to reenact the death of Jesus Christ. My life is in ruins, and in one single night. The first thing I'll do when I reunite with Lynn is to hug her with all my strength, and don't let go for a solid minute. My mind would've been eased a bit if I knew what sort of torture the Heretics practiced on the enemies they captured, so I would be ready to treat her with whatever wounds she had. But my only sighting of them was when they ambushed Knoth's followers and their leader licked my face.

Another thing that hassles me is the fact that they don't know the baby inside Lynn doesn't exist, it's just their broken minds casting them false images. I saw her back in Knoth's church. Her stomach was flat as the day we married each other. What will they do when morning arrives, and they find out the baby doesn't exist? The Heretics are protecting her because of the baby, so learning that the god you've been waiting for all night doesn't exist... they'll surely blame Lynn for it, and kill her. The time limit until dawn is not just set by Knoth, it's literally the time left before my wife dies.

Alright, I need to set myself free from this cross. Which hand to free first? My right palm has two nails stuck in it, so it'll hold on for longer, but the nail on my left palm is almost out. Okay, I'll test how hard they are embedded and then decide. I tactfully tugged my right hand away from the beam, groaning when blood came trickling down from the edge of the hole the nails opened up. Okay, I'm not ripping out the nails with just my arms. I'll need the help of my legs. I bent my torso in an awkward angle in order to press the bottom of my boots against the cross, ready to push against the wooden beams with all my might.

Fuck. I'm about to do this. This is gonna hurt like a motherfucker, and my injuries will become only worse, but I have a special someone in the mines waiting for my arrival. I need to do this. I grit my teeth together in preparation, ready for the onslaught of immense pain. I just hope I don't accidentally kill myself, even against the odds of how improbable it may be.

Timber creaked and groaned as my palms worked loose from the nails, stains of fresh blood splattering on the cross. I was too focused on the task at hand to pay any mind to what sort of facial expression I was wearing, but a combination of extreme agony and focus was probably not that far away from the truth. The aching of my knees soon returned, only a mild nuisance in contrast to what I was enduring right now. My legs were close to giving out, but I was too deep in it to hesitate now.

I yelped out as my hand came clean off the nails, splashing blood all over the area and sending me hurtling right around to my opposite arm. My rationale was quick to take over as I held on with every ounce of my strength onto the cross, trying to prevent the nail from shredding straight through my hand. Okay, push with everything! I got both of my legs pressed on the beam, my free hand a bit above them, and thrust against the chunky wood until the final nail violently unsnapped from my flesh. My painful plunge was quickly cut short as I slammed into the ground full force, an agonizing screech erupting from my voice cords.

FUCK! My unshackled wheezing sounded like a dying bear impaled through the chest, right on the edge of death. That hurts like fucking hell! UGH! I flipped my hands over to face my sight, trying to see how horrifying they looked. Shit, those massive nails created one hell of a scar left behind in their legacy. My right hand had two gaping openings staring right back at me, cartilage, veins and flesh situated around their edges, fully exposed for more Syphilis and Gonorrhea to happily enter into my body. More blood dripped as I squeezed it, trickling down into the soil with droplets. My left hand wasn't that bad, compared to its opposite appendage. A single hole stood right in the middle of my palm, but it hurt more when I squeezed to check how much pain it gave.

Oh god. Fuck! God. I slowly tried to rise up to my feet, a storm of immense pain immediately washing over me like a tidal wave. My head was in all kinds of places, barely keeping it together in order to stagger forward, using a tree as support whenever I felt too weak. My knees weren't just shaking, they were quaking unrestrained. Fuck! My hands... I've got to patch them up. Now.

I shoved my hands down into my pockets, frantically searching for any rags I might've been carrying onto. Come on, there has to be some. My pouch was still empty, its camera currently in the hands of my torturers. My camcorder is really gone. With it lost forever, there is no proof that confirmed what I've went through, what I've suffered. No one, but myself. There is no way in hell I'm retrieving it back in my grasp, not without Nick and Laird still alive. Fortunately, these parts of the forest weren't too dark due to the moonlight, but I'd certainly need it soon.

I collapsed against the trunk of a tree as my hands finally met the bandages they were looking for, letting out a few relaxed groans in response. Okay, I can still use my hands a little bit, should be enough to patch them up. They still hurt like crazy, but I had enough willpower and resistance to pain in order to climb ledges and other physically demanding tasks, although I was going to suffer tremendously when I did them.

Shit shit shit shit shit shit. Ah, shit. Fuck. Fuck me. Oh fuck, that hurts. My gaping injuries felt stagnant, even more so under the protection of my bandages as I wrapped them around my left palm in a spiral, crimson and soggy blood immediately bleeding through. That should cool off a bit under those bandages, hopefully. I turned to my other hand, ripping a sizable chunk out of my bandage roll and enclosing the aching wounds carefully, biting my lip to ease off the pain.

Okay, I feel a bit better. I hope the wounds close up and stop hurting soon, because I'm going to need them to hold stuff when I get to the mines. Lynn's in under heavy protection by the Heretics, and it's not going to be easy sneaking past them in order to reach Lynn. I shot a swift glance at my watch to check the time, getting visibly irritated when the time read 3:53. I need to hurry. I began to make haste as I got my knees under me, checking all my pockets to see if everything was still in my possession. Except the camera.

The woods weren't too confusing to navigate when you've spent a pretty good chunk of your time on this planet hiking, used a compass pretty often, and had good directional sense. This forest was much of the same, the noxious stench of rotten cooked flesh reaching my smelling and prompting me to head that way. I'm not even sure ı'm going in the right direction anymore, just hoping to find something that would clue me to where I was. In all of my career as a cameraman, I've found to be navigating buildings a lot more easier than a forest. The hallways are set dead in stone, and it's clear where they're gonna take you. Artificial lighting is also a huge bonus, which a forest greatly lacks sometimes.

A campfire stood just ahead, tents strewn all around it like bugs concentrated around a rotting biomass. Moans sounding off quickly alerted me to the presence of other individuals, more specifically, Scalled. They're inside those tents. I can't see them, but they must be. Crouching down, I began to inch towards the campsite with unbreakable focus, ready to act in the first sight of anyone wandering in my field of view. Not again. I've suffered enough, I can't get caught again. They'll probably just off me after finding out I broke free from my 'binds' and was alive and... mostly well.

Okay, the area seems clear. I dragged myself up to my feet, my hands still aching greatly after that torture session. Around the fire kept alive by the planks underneath it was more crimson stains coated with the bloods of the sick, just another normal part of the environment at this point. A scalled member on the ground, unable to stand up and left rotting under forced quarantine from the rest of the world. He looked terrified, almost resembling the emotions of a normal human person. Unlike us.

Was I even fully sane anymore? After all I've seen. I kept filtering everything evil about this place out of my attention, kept telling myself that these people were sick, and I was just a bystander having natural reactions to everything going on around me. A normal person would just leave at first glance, even if they had a wife they loved more than anything else. They'd say 'My wife is probably dead, so I'll just move on with my life and try to forget her.' I didn't. I went after her. My night was spent in pure distress, subjected to gore in every room I entered, chased without my pursuers breaking a sweat. Now even infected blood shoved down my throat, and nails dug through my palm. I need to face it, I made a mistake.

It stung when I said that. A mistake. My wife, a mistake. I thought those words would never go together, but they did. I had the chance to get away from this place the moment I came to under that helicopter door. I could've walked away, let destiny take its course. My wife surely dead by dawn, me still alive and sane. Maybe I would've had the sense to phone the cops, get Temple Gate checked out. Maybe. I don't know. I'm far too deep in it to back away now. I can't back down. I've endured most of the stuff I probably will while I'm in this place, it'll make no sense to run away now.

I'm sorry Lynn. I hate to say it, I deeply do. But I regret ever coming after you.

"He is on the path of glorious suffering, bound for the sepulcher."

In the tents were disease ridden cultists, maggots and flies collected all over their bodies. I shook my pouch searching for the camera, a sigh wriggling out of my funny breathing. The loss of camera was greatly noticed, I could no longer listen for sounds or have everything amplified by my night vision, which meant I'd be more unnerved while traversing this area. It's weird, I always felt safer when I looked at the world behind the lens of my camera, even in this place. It gave me a sense of security, assurance that no matter what happened to me, I left behind proof that showed the viewers what I went through. I won't be forgotten. I will not. I'm getting out of this place, with Lynn. Alive. These fuckers are welcome to halt my progress, I'll take whoever I can with me.

My mood slightly risen by that thought train, I continued onwards towards the soothing warmth of another campfire, this one fueled by more thickened planks. The tents around it were more populated, a few scalled members sedentary near it. They didn't seem to mind my presence as I hobbled along, seeking some sort of cliffside so I could make my way out of this area. This campsite was peaceful compared to the rest of the scalled village, no puking residents or hostile ones. Everyone seemed lucid, their minds a good bit deal far away, much like me.

Behind a tent, blood trails led up a few ledges towards a rocky height, accessible by the looks of it. I threw my hands up into the first ledge, immediately plummeting back down when the penetration of my hands violently reminded me I was still injured. Argh! Fuck! The bandages were soaked already, slowly morphing into a crimson shade instead of white. How am I gonna progress if I can't even climb? Let's try another way. Letting the pain in my hands subside gradually, I rose to my feet and hopped up to the ledge again, placing my wrists on the edge this time. Fuck! It still hurt, but much less. I could feel my veins get crushed under the pressure of my weight as I scaled the ledge, gasping for air when I made it up.

A few more to go. Okay. I threw my wrists up again, climbing the full length of the cliffside until my boots crushed into the pebbles surrounding the ground around the area. My path was a straight shot forward, a sharp bend to the right the only thing breaking the repetition. I knocked about as I set my gaze on the trees growing out of the soil in an unnatural way, curving to the left or right instead of up like a normal tree. The boulders were also strange looking, a few hairline cracks in their casing disrupting their delicate appearance. Insect sounds were audible when I put my ear into them, a few trying to nibble at my ear before I winced away.

Seriously, what happened to the trees here? My mind was left in confusion as I vaulted over a tree log, knocked down from its original position and left as a barricade in my path. Most of them look like they were damaged in some way, their foliage completely absent, or knocked down from their base into the ground. Artificial activity couldn't have done this, it must be natural. Perhaps some sort of hurricane or storm? I'll never know.

What the hell? I crouched low as my path came to an end, spying on the scene unfolding from below. The cross I was hanged on was in view, a few flashlights blazing white clarity onto it.

"The cross is empty. The cross is empty! God in Heaven."

Fuckers. Okay, they know I'm free. Their dark silhouettes stood below the biblical structure now vacant, only the stains of my blood left in place.

"The Scalled Christ has fled his cross! Our Messiah is fallen! Laird! Hegemon! Somebody find Laird!"

They retreated towards the path I took before, their pace a bit more hurried than mine. I was unsure if they were looking for me, or Laird. Probably both.

"Ready the tomb! Our Messiah has fallen at last!"

An empty statement. It's very apparent I'm still alive, but they still choose to humor their delusions even further than to accept the truth. That cross has caused nothing but pain, no god in the sky to care for what has been done to me. These people are proof that god was wrong about so many things.

I need to keep moving. No telling when they'll discover where I've scurried off to. The path continued when one looked to the left, accompanied by more objects of nature to keep it soft on the eyes. Every step I took resonated even deeper into the depths of space, my mind set unease by the amount of time I was wasting. Time was moving fast, unlike me. The valley was unnaturally silent for the fucked up shit it contained, but the seemingly innocent facade only fooled those who had not stepped foot into its soil. I'll bet serious money that someone is being gutted alive at this very moment.

I can't roam around this high up. Need to get down to normal ground. I crumpled beside a ledge leading back down, my knuckles rubbing against the acute stone as the winding pain wanders away from them, reaching their peak at the back of my skull. The forefront of my sinuses. For a second I didn't feel the throbbing ache building up in my palms, a fleeting reminder to what it was like to feel my body whole again.

At my toes were an assemblage of boulders ingrained to the ground, only their topside revealed for all eyes to see. I stepped over them as I paced further down the path, meeting upon tents upon tents, a wooden shack to keep them safe like little brothers. Moans let me know the area was occupied, a reminder that I didn't need to linger around here too much. The air felt calm, and only the faint traces of rot disrupted its delicate contains. I rubbed the moist from my eyes and was alarmed by the silence, their moans now absent in response to my arrival. I laid hasty eyes on the tent storing some makeshift containers fashioned from wood sit near the sick residents, most of which was exhausted a long time ago. Did any of them really care? Knoth. Laird. Their followers were only numbers in their eyes, and they took it upon themselves to act arrogant in the name of the christian god, who would absolutely abhor that trait of personality.

"Who's out there? You stay away from that fence, you hear me?!"

Shit. My voice rattles as I choke on the heavy rot filling my lungs, my body in a desperate dash to conceal itself. The trunk of a tree nearby scrapes against my coat as I press my back to it, barely avoiding the line sight of the swaying flashlight as the unwelcome guest waves it around the area. He didn't see me. He didn't see me.

I peek beside the edge and spot the silhouette of a lone cultist, situated a fair bit of distance away from my position. He mumbles something else I can't make out, dissolving into the unforgiving cold to never be heard again.

"Heavenly God, is that you?"

No. It's nothing. Go away, mind your own business. My eyes wander to wherever his flashlight swerves to, catching the glimpse of a chain link fence as he focuses on it for a moment. It looks pretty secure. I'm not even a bit interested in what the fence has to show me, at least not before he goes away. I quiver as the stream below his feet sloshes with the movement he makes, his footfalls intensifying with each ticking second.

The wooden shack. I can hide inside. I watch patiently as his figure resurfaces from the swirls of mist, his flashlight glaring right into my eyes before I dip my head back behind the trunk. Oh fuck. Don't see me. Don't see me. Please.

"Huh?"

He's coming this way. I shiver as the reality of my situation sinks in, my skull enclosing a little bit tighter around my brain. I'm not even sure. The ill water sloshes under his steps as he paves his path towards me, a simple trunk the only barrier between me and his line of sight. Fuck! Think Blake, think! I need to get inside that wooden house, but how?! I can't throw something to distract his attention, he'll see it came from here. They're insane, no doubt, but they're not stupid. That's the thing. They're not the sharpest tools in the shed, but they aren't an opponent to underestimate.

I sprang forward, skimming trees and foliage as I took off towards the open doorway inviting me into the safe confines of the cabin. It didn't take him a second to clock my position and yell profanities after my name, his flashlight bobbing back and forth, mirroring his wild dash to get me under his grasp. I charged through the door and hurled it shut after my trail, my eyelids trying to droop over my eyes in response to his flashlight seeping through the cracks. I didn't spare a moment as I locked the flimsy door, whipping around and taking in the immediate area.

"You were supposed to die!"

A lone table lined the opposing wall, chairs upturned on its edges. What I wanted to see was far different, something like a hole leading out of the edifice. The promise the shack gave to keep me safe was quickly proven to be unfounded as the door crunched, splintered, cracked, but refused to give. It wouldn't hold, but would give me enough time to figure a way out of here.

No hole. Are you fucking kidding me?! After all those pits full of piss I walked past unfazed, now there wasn't one when the situation deeply demanded it? I winced as the cultist outside rammed into the brittle wood with his body, determined to wear his strength down until the task was done. I paced around the house, looking for at least something to block the door with. No bookcases, no counters. Not even a fucking can of cold gravy I could use to snap the handle off.

I thrust forward and grabbed the handle, pressing my shoulder against the door. The slams were becoming more violent, my pursuer absolutely abhorring the notion of letting me go. I tried my best to withstand the blows, keeping the door together on its hinges as best I could. His silhouette was visible through the cracks, stepping back and launching himself into the door again. Fuck! Just go away, you psycho!

I was budged off the door as he thrust a powerful kick into its base, returning to the shoulder slams once he saw I was off the door. I shook my head to clear the daze, lunging at the edge of the door this time to try a different tactic. My machete was loose from my waist and gripped tight in my fingers, sweat rolling down my cheeks unrestrained. With each thud I felt my sanity dissipate, my mind ransacking its own contains in order to find somewhere safe, at least for a moment. I'm doing this. I'm really doing this. Fuck. Okay, focus. I was already trembling uncontrollably by the time the door bent only an inch forward, signaling the arrival of the moment I was waiting for. My teeth banged together, my feet felt claustrophobic inside my boots, my fingers stiffened.

The door shattered inward, the cultist bursted in, and I ducked right out. Right by the back of his scarred legs. I could only hope he hadn't noticed my absence yet. I sped around the next corner and found light illuminating downhill towards a chain link fence, a campfire churning temperate fire near it. I barely stopped myself from toppling forward into the pointy spikes of the fence as I grabbed onto a nearby wall, spontaneously jerking away when my hands streaked against the slimy blood painted on the stone wall.

Fuck you.

He's not following me. Good. I took the time to get things under my own terms, to calm down. That had been too hectic. I was dead meat if he got the drop on me back there. But he didn't. I'm still alive and kicking.

The putrid scent emanated from the fence, its physical equals revealed for all eyes to see. Several... sex organs. Entangled in the barbed wire, crimson liquid lined its edges. Rotten blood? No way, this thing smelled far worse than any blood stench I've inhaled so far. Instead of focusing on my sense of smell, I switched over to my sight, trying to make out any shapes or figures beyond the fence looming forth.

Nothing. No way through here, that's for sure. The cultist back there is still searching, and luck has certainly been on my side so far, but even I know my limits. I can't retrace my steps either. I've never considered the notion that my path has the possibility to come to an end, and I'll have nowhere else to go. Trapped from one side, blocked by the other. I'll be forced to lay there, slowly rotting away. Whatever's left of my body, my sanity, my love for living. It'll all be gone, along with my wife.

But hopefully, that moment will never present itself. Trails of blood led up a stone ledge, I didn't ponder anymore as I hopped up, ignoring the throbbing ache gradually building itself up in my hands. My senses torn raw, the pain was only a mild nuisance. It'll pass, and I'll get over it. Some things you don't get over, but this isn't going to be one of them. Not again.

The path was brief, and to the point. Just how I like it. A noisy crunch splint the air as my boots crashed back down to the ground, kicking up a few pebbles but only a mild tap amongst the deathly silence. I didn't bother to check out the pathway to my right before heading on left, the chain link fence now hopefully behind my life forever. Thick fog surrounded the woods, or at least this area. Up to my waist, to be exact. It didn't bother me as much as it would if I was a wolf, just another part of the environment. The pines overhead gave me a clear idea on where I was, and where I was heading. Closer to the railroad bridge, closer to the mines. I've got to get the fuck out of here. Tall grass surrounded the area, along with some hollow tree trunks, perfect home for squirrels, or a hiding place for me. Hiding places were what my brain was looking for, categorizing things as either hiding places or non-hiding places. One night in this place can age anyone 20 years. Blind or deaf men meant I had an advantage and I welcomed them fully.

"Hurt them! Break their ignorant skulls!"

I was already among the bushes by the time the yellow kerosene flashlight made its appearance, and the familiar voice followed right behind it. The grass rustled in my slightest movement, so I had no choice but to get on my knees and keep still as possible. Heavy footfalls shook the ground beneath, several ones at that. Was Laird walking on his own, or was somebody else accompanying them? I quietly listened as I buried my elbows deep into the soil, not paying any mind to the agonizing pulses soaring through my veins. I could make out their silhouettes past the grass, one consisting of Laird and his mount, and the other one of their followers. He was on his knees, pleading to Laird for something. The absence of my camcorder greatly ingrained itself into my mind, both the lack of a zoom and the microphones making sure I felt their absence. Only murmurs reached my hearing.

"How could you let our Savior escape?! You whore's miscarriage!"

A blunt thwack set a firm end to the cultist as the flaming arrow thrust into his noggin, putting him out of his misery as he plunged onto the ground. The behemoth and his freak archer slowly made their way to their fresh kill, the corpse now only good for vultures as they wrenched the arrow free from his noggin.

"You festering shits! Nobody gets saved! NOBODY!"

I waited for a good long while for them to go away, and even though any sign of activity was long absent, I was still sure they were waiting just around the corner and would drive one of those arrows straight into my face the second I peeked my head out. Their followers. I haven't seen them die to anything but their leader. There were dozens of corpses laying around this area, even under these bushes I was hiding in. Did they even like Laird, or did they only obey to him in the hopes that their diseases would be cured? The foul odor took its time to settle in while I inspected the area, making sure nobody else was around before kneeling up from the bushes. I scanned the trees looking for anything out of place, anything not blending into the environment. Only the disgusting stench remained, the single proof that something sinister existed out here in an unknown point of time, now gone to fill the void of non-existence. The dirt under my boots crunched up as I took every step with caution, stopping dead in my tracks to listen for anyone approaching my direction. Nothing, only my footsteps. I tried to make myself believe that, but my brain wasn't eating it up. I still winced with every step I took, mistaking it for someone else instead of me. Was I even myself anymore? The person that was in the helicopter a few hours ago. My sanity wasn't intact, and my brain knew it. I was the outlier.

"There is no salvation outside the Way of Sorrows. It is the only way."

My heart literally slammed into my chest as I scrambled for cover, but the indecisive skirmish between my rational and instincts caused me to drop straight onto the ground, a muffled thud echoing from the soil below. I watched as the amber light source illuminated the area nearby, constantly bobbing up and down due to the hunched behemoth currently casting it on his path. Fuck, they haven't gone away. They should've had the time to cross goddamn continents considering the amount of time I waited in those bushes back there. It took me a moment to realize I was in plain sight, revealed for all eyes to see. I quickly scampered behind a nearby boulder to utilize as cover, my lungs literally taking three breaths a second to compensate for the amount of stress I was currently under.

"The gospels. He will try to retrieve his gospels!"

I had no idea what he was talking about. Nick was heading towards a chain link fence guarded by a lone cultist, surprisingly clean of any gore or grotesque imagery. The fence, of course.

"Out of my way."

Only air filled the fence entrance as the cultist quietly stepped away, letting way for Laird and Nick as they made their way through. Nothing beyond that was visible, only a heavy fog pretending to be all that was past the perimeter.


	14. No One Will Believe You

The fence. There'a something valuable past that fence.

The rangy grass I was concealed under was starting to invade my personal space the longer I hid in them. Pointy cusps softly pricked my clothing and skin that was exposed due to my mangled clothing. I was a mess, there was no point in debating over it.

"Blessed nailed buried eaten. Blessed nailed buried eaten. Blessed nailed buried eaten. Blessed nailed buried eaten."

Knees wobbling under my weight, my bones trembling under the mercy of the freezing winds as another gush swept over the area. Grass rustled as I felt the air skim against my lips, cementing them harder into the likes of the petrified chills traveling through this forest.

The only noticeable way to get past the fence was to go through the gate, the only space absent of brimming barbed wire. It was fortunately left wide open, but my problems arose from the cultist situated right in the middle of the frame. His figure was brightly illuminated by a bonfire behind him churning hot inferno out to its surroundings. I quietly shuffled along to the other side, trying to have a better look at the structure, looking for a gap. Anything that could distract him. There was nothing I could throw, nothing I could use to distract him. Sneaking up behind him was also out of the dilemma. Maybe if I climbed up the barbed wire REALLY slow, would that work?

No fucking way. He'd see that, and jam his machete up my ass. My mind felt distant, my legs soupy. I was on the point of collapse by the time I finished my slow trek over to the other side, where the fence extended no longer and was replaced by stone walls. It didn't matter, they both stopped from getting over to the other side. The area was completely blocked off, forcing me to descend onto a halt as I stumbled upon a couple of shale slides lined up together, separated only by boulders set deep into the soil. No way I can climb up them. Way too steep.

Shit. Keep light on your feet, be aware of your surroundings at all times, and above all else, survive.

I retreated back towards the fence, my mind fully intent on finding some way to get past it. There has to be a way, there just has to. This can't be it! I can't just get stuck here, not after all I've endured. I need to make that cultist go away somehow. Maybe expose myself and have him chase me, loop him around the area and clear it through the gate. Or straight up charge at him with my weathered machete and hope to come out on top.

Or not at all.

The twigs underneath my feet crunched up as my boots dug into them, my attention more focused on the tree trunk knocked over from its root and left afloat on the ledge beside the fence. My eyes followed where it led to, up to a safe haven where I could get across without bothering with the fence. Looks stable enough to stand on, if I'm careful.

Labored breathing pressed through the drone of the campfire, twigs lining the trunk snapped from their roots and fell onto the ground as I felt my chances of slipping through unnoticed dwindling down with each crackle. Did the guard have a flashlight? I doubt I was concealed very much this high up. Once he saw me, that was it. He would pick out the odd sounds given the contrast to the persistent silence. I breathed a soft whine as I strayed my gaze away from my feet, almost relieved when I saw that the platform wasn't much farther ahead. I was trying to focus on my footing, one wrong movement, and I could lose my balance and plummet all the way down to the ground. Skull shattered.

I watched my shadow develop larger and larger before my legs finally came upon solid land as my boots crushed into the soil, creating footprints after my trail. The platform was barren of anything useful, only my momentary means in order to reach what the fence kept hid. Only a tree log left standing in my path, the only obstruction between me and Laird. They should be on the same side as me now, seeing as they made their way through the fence much like me. The only question is, how far away did they go?

Timber whined as I hopped over the fragile wood, left behind as I focused on what was in front of me. The end of the platform, absent of any kind of ground. The fog was making it difficult to see, but I could make out the rippling waves of a pond below as I peered over the ledge, reflections of the moon light mixed in with the blue.

Shit, it's a long way down. I'll injure myself if I don't land the right way. Head first is definitely a no-go, a belly flop isn't too easy on the body either. Landing feet first might be the best approach if I plan on living any further. I'm sure this place would be a nice location to set up a camp with your friends in the evening, before the zealots took over. They used the water to dump their excrements, used the land for wooden huts reeking of unimaginable filth, like a disease. They won't be cured from their 'sins.' They are what they fear. What they see as evil. The effort they're going through in order to cure themselves will only end in failure, and they'll realize all of their efforts still didn't stop microorganisms from wearing down their bodies piece by piece. That alone put my mind at ease.

I exhaled my last breath and braced myself for the fall before I let myself down, ripping through air like an elegant bird before splashing violently into the water, letting myself submerge deep in its confines until my feet made contact with the mushy soil beneath, and thrusting myself upwards, above the surface. The crows must've been spooked, I made out their distressed chatter as they scrambled away from my pitiful attempt at landing on a body of water.

That odd copper residue settled in my mouth as usual, probably from the water I accidentally swallowed. Not a single inch of this hellish desert is clean, my immune system has to be fighting World War 1 at this point. The pond wasn't very deep, fortunately. The water only effected down my chest, which removed the need for swimming up to the shore, a quality that I fully welcomed.

I stopped and listened when I heard something that sounded like footsteps. Maybe labored breathing, I couldn't be sure. I stood there motionless, staring at the enormous shape emerging from behind a set of boulders, donning something on his back.

Laird!

I felt the vibrations of the liquid as I dove underwater, staggering backwards and almost inhaling the filthy drink before pinching my nose. The amber illumination was only a second late as it descended on my position, intently scanning the surplus ripples formed after my plunge. Fuck. Here?! I thought they were gone! I tried my best to keep myself from floating upwards, where there was certain death. They had me in a chokehold. The moment I dipped my head back out, there was no doubt I'd receive an arrow straight into my face. My only chance is to keep still, hope they lose interest. Lungs, don't fail me now. Please.

"Do you need to make water, Nick? I can hum if you're feeling bashful."

The voice was muffled, but I was certain it was Laird, The lantern swayed towards the other side of the pond, away from where I was. Just leave, there is nothing in this pond. Leave! My thoughts hitched as I tried to focus on holding my breath, but the task was more difficult than it seemed.

"We all hear the voices. Come on, our Messiah is waiting for us."

My vision was starting to fade, the world slowly imbuing with blackness. My lungs ached, or was that my ribs? Both. The voices around me began to trail off, the sound in my ears the only thing to keep me company. It's not water, more like something metal churning in the confines of another metal. It doesn't make sense, but I know that sound exists in my head. The constant drone. The static. It's like a song you can't stop humming. I rub my eyes, but all I see is madness. Born from the ashes of something once normal. It's not right, it's not wrong. It's there. The sound, it exists because it exists. Nothing more than another remnant of my remaining psyche.

"I'll hurt you if I must, Nick. Let's go."

Fuck me, they're still there. The lantern swerves over to my position as the lack of my breathing catches up to me, gurgling as I fight over my survival. My jaw is locked tight, I feel rot seeping into my skin. I didn't want to dwell on the number of corpses that must've decomposed down here, left for vultures to pick apart. I don't have much time before I become one of them. I didn't want to think about it. Didn't want to think about any of these questions that needed answers. My only concern was Lynn's survival, the rest were utterly meaningless.

And mine, I guess.

After what felt like an eternity, the lantern that was in Nick's grasp finally flicked off, now safely tucked away on his waist. Either he satisfied his curiosity, or he forgot what he was looking for. They both faced away from the pond and began towards the woods surrounding us, leaving me to my own in this area. All manner of different sounds rushed to my ears all at once as I thrust myself upwards, free from the limits of the pond, no immediate danger in the area anymore. I was gasping unrestrained by the time the usual scent of the forest settled into my nose, slowly renewing my resolve back to its full potential. I was fine as long as I was careful, they couldn't outrun me. I doubt Laird is much of a good shot during a chase.

I was a jumbling mess by the time I reached the shore, stumbling forward and barely holding onto a nearby branch to keep myself from toppling onto the ground. God, my ribs. That was close. I didn't need to get more beat up than I already was. My hands were shaking, I took a trembling breath in order to calm my frayed nerves, but it didn't help at all.

Keep it together. I'll get through this. I need to. Goddamn vultures, how many corpses did you pick over? The pond had served its function, I took zero notice in it as I focused on what was in front of me. It was a lone wooden hut, complete with a campfire nearby and fences on either sides to block any trespassers trying to go through.

No way but inside. Something about this seemed off, much of the same that clung to this place. A lot I didn't understand and what I did get still made no sense. The handle turned loosely in my hand as I pulled the door back, my hand didn't let go as I closed it after me. Inside wasn't much spacious, one part of the room embedded in darkness while the other part was illuminated by a lantern situated on the circular table. I wasn't too keen on searching for resources anymore, now that my camera was lost. Batteries were of no use, the same thing went for weapons. My machete was more than enough, so unless one of them smuggled in a hunting rifle with them, they were staying where they were.

Two bandages. They'll do. I quickly unfastened the leather pouch left for abandonment on top of a counter and salvaged the pair of bandages inside. They went in my breast pockets, filling the space where my batteries used to be. The other side of the room turned out to be empty as I wavered the lantern over there, placing it on the other side of my waist for later use.

No windows. The only room I hadn't explored was concealed behind a set of curtains, dangling on the frame of what was supposed to be a door. I wasted little time before I pushed them aside, clearing way for the small room left unexplored. It was another circular table, a few bowls of expired corn left to rot in the furthest corner. I scanned the wooden walls for an exit out of this house, something like a window which I could bust open. In the corner of my vision was a light source reflecting onto the walls and the table it was on, but I quickly brushed it off to be the red candles doing their work.

But it was blue, and the candles weren't even on fire.

I paused to stare, dumbfounded at how this was possible. I blinked, but it didn't change what was there. My camera! Right there, not more than a feet away. Left on blue screen. I dithered for a moment, debating if I should even pick it up. It was obvious Laird left it there, but I didn't know if he was done with it. What if they change their minds and just off me without hesitating? They'll find someone else to be their Messiah, and I'll be dead.

No, I need my camcorder. It was like reuniting with an old friend that I thought was lost forever. Such a strong feeling for an inanimate object, but the event was still significant. The black casing felt just like the day I bought it, even though it was a bit cold. I'm glad to have you back, buddy. I gently picked it up, fitted my finger under the visor and flipped it open. All the functions still worked, night vision and the microphones were in good working order. There was a spare battery left on the counter that I quickly snatched into my possession and stashed in my pocket for later use. The power was almost out, but it'd hold out for a bit. I slowly propped it up to my eyes, ignoring the thunderous buzzing in my head giving me a mild headache.

No.

The image fizzles out, distorts into something incomprehensible, and whirls back to life. The static. It scratches at the edge of my peripheral and drags through my vision. I blink and I'm somewhere else entirely, distracted by the itching images forming in my vision. Hot pain slithers through the back of my head to my eyes, I feel something familiar creeping up to my skull.

I'm back.

The windows are bright. Too bright. I take subtle notice in the trees lacking their foliage, mixing along nicely with the joyful snow that is falling down to the earth. I'm here again, the place that represents my fear of the past. Saint Sybil School, we meet again.

The cafeteria, or what remained of it. Much of the tables had been removed or shoved into the walls, something I took great interest in. I keep coming back earlier. It was Loutermilch who did this, chased us through here. It happened so fast, I was trying to keep myself and her safe, while also trying to avoid him. It was all a blur back then, something my kid mind wouldn't care for. Things change, like people. I don't know what happened to Loutermilch, maybe he regrets what he's done, maybe he doesn't. Doesn't change the fact that he's an asshole, but a small part of me hopes that is the truth.

I trudge forward, towards a small sheet of paper left in isolation on one of the tables. It's another hangman puzzle, a failed one. The stickman is dead. She's dead. I'm the player.

D_N_T . L_T . M_ . G_

Don't let me go. The paper is crumpled, torn. I recalled my last round of hangman with Jessica and Lynn, how it felt to hold her arm while she laughed. I'd give anything to go back to that moment again, my last truly happy moment in this evil world. I'm losing my grip on things. I need to assemble my sanity back together, or else I'm going to lose Lynn too.

There must be an exit out of here. The bright neon EXIT signs pulsed erratically, absent of any specific order. A few vending machines lined the wall closer to the tray rail, behind them were large canisters of food among other provisions. What sparked my interest was the tree painting on the wall directly across from the food preparation area, a cross right in the middle of the trunk. I always imagined this thing turning 3D when I was a kid, its roots sprawling out from the wall it was on and wrapping around my neck. The image was always vivid, and I hated thinking about it. I'd always sit in the seats facing away from the painting, getting a confused eyebrow every once in a while. The truth is, I was a weird kid.

I flicked on the night vision, squinting my eyes in order to get used to the green hue taking up all of my vision. It was good to have my camera back, even though I felt its weight sink into my pouch and the fact that it made me feel heavier than before. I'll get used to it though, hopefully.

The main exit out of the cafeteria was thankfully open, so no crawling in vents or anything like that. Just me, and the exit. In the hallway was a single TV on top of a rolling table. I inched closer to have a better look, but was promptly interrupted as gargantuan veins of crimson zoomed across the hallway. I thought I saw something run past the intersection, but that thought swiftly hitched as my back collided against the floor. All of the air built up in my lungs in that moment violently bursted out of my chest as dots soaked my vision, the pain in my ribs too much to endure anymore.

Fuck. I wasted little time before getting my legs under me, dusting off my zipped up jacket like a bad habit. I didn't know what kinds of fucked up shit lurked deep inside my mind, and I had no interest in finding out. Just need to trigger something that'll knock me out of my haze. I took the time to shoot a glance at the TV as I cleared the hallway towards the intersection, revealing the monitor to be deactivated. It wasn't attached to any power outlets, so I don't know what I expected.

The right corridor was a dead end, just a set of duo doors blocking my passage. Down the other hall was an open doorway I carefully invited myself through, past some lockers lining the cement walls. The edges of the doorframe were jagged, partially exposing the wood hidden behind the white paint. 101 B, I remember this classroom. It was unused and creepy, at least to us kids back then. So that naturally inspired some rumors about a ghost that was living inside the classroom, how it sucked the souls of any students that 'dared' to wander inside. I believed it all, and never went in, until it was revealed that the classroom had an infestation problem and they fixed it. Some small renovations later, and 101 B transformed into your generic classroom.

Weird how I remember that.

The lights above had failed in this room. The chairs were upturned over the desks, much like any other classroom in these waking dreams. I was utterly alone, devoid of anyone to keep me company. The visor flickered as I turned the NV back on, taking a moment to adjust to the new brightness level as I set it to default. The eerie tapping of droplets somewhere else in the edifice was the only thing preventing the whole building from going silent. The cool draft breezing into the room from the ventilation shaft took a while to settle into the classroom, my lost thoughts ground together as I noticed another hangman puzzle left on the desk.

S_FF_ . TH_ . CHILD_N

Suffer the children. Distant memories of Knoth's instructions flashed into my vision. It all sounded too similar to his cause, locate the Antichrist by killing all infants that were birthed from their mothers. But he can't be related to this. He can't be. This is the one thing I hope he never sticks his foul mouth into.

Stupid camera! I was caught surprised as the image whirred out of focus, colorful glitches fizzling into the visor before spazzing back into the NV. Each time the camera did this, my heart accelerated. I was fearful that it would suddenly shut down when I needed it the most.

Wiping the moisture off my face, I retraced my steps back out the open doorway as I stood before the next corridor, the only direction provided. Echoes created by the tiled cement underneath my ragged boots still put me at unease whenever I focused on them. It was like a phobia, fear of that one odd sound that breaks the deathly silence. My nerves are too high strung, this can't be good for my therapist bills.

I ignore the duo doors branching into a whole new corridor as I continue onwards, past the school projects hung up on the walls and into an office on my left. The door groaned as I pushed it open, my camera clutched tight into my chest if I needed to have it up and running quickly. Another priest working station, clunky metal wardrobes set looming in the furthest corner. There aren't any computers on the desks, only mindless paperwork and manila folders set under lamps. I step closer to have a better look, but something is not right.

The lights are flickering.

My mind is too slow to catch up. The door behind me slams shut, the fluorescent lights overhead go out in unison, and then whirl back to life as they uncover pools of crimson goo seeping into the room through the cracks in the ceiling. They are traveling along the walls, trying to reach for me through the floor. My feet are dragging me backwards without my approval, I have no time to comprehend before my back collides against a wall and smooths along to the floor.

What is happening to me? Am I going insane? This doesn't make sense. Nothing in this fucking place makes sense. Ever since I came here... The only thing left for me to do is silently cower in the corner and pray to any small minded deity that might be listening for me and Lynn's safety.

I just want to go home.

 **Recorded**

"You let me share my bliss with the children, who may be able to take my bigger talents and turn them into glory."

Still garbled. I shut off the camera as I listen to the raspy clatter emanating from the ceiling, or from inside my ears. They're all coming from the same place, depends on how I interpret it. I don't want to get up. I don't want to keep moving. It's all too much work, and I'm exhausted. I need rest for my weary soul. It would be so easy to give up, and hand myself to the grasp of death. Committing suicide seems wise while in this place, I don't blame anyone for doing it. I'm going on for you, my love. Hold on, we still have much to live together. Our first child, getting old together. These are all funny notions to entertain, but ultimately unattainable. Not just here, but after this? I'm not going to be normal once I get out. I brought my hand down and stared at the crimson bandage wrapped around my gaping injuries. I can't move my damn fingers without feeling the pain dug into me by those nails, fraying what remained of my nerves. I think I smelled awful, my clothes were covered in guts and injuries, Syphilis and Gonorrhea already reproducing inside my body, growing numerous with each second that ticked, and ticked, and ticked.

But none of that mattered. I have been submerged in death and pain for too long. I was going to free my wife and get out of here. No demonic cult was going to stop me, not before I gave my life to the cause.

The door clicked as I rattled it open, taking timid steps out into the corridor as I pushed it shut behind me. No way to proceed but through the duo doors I dismissed earlier. The corridor ahead was sparse in lighting, but the camera battery was about to drip its last contents. I produced my last battery out from my breast pocket and inserted it into the battery port. The power meter jumped back to full capacity as the visor increased in brightness, illuminating the hallway ahead with great faculty.

I was drawn like a moth to the only light source available in the corridor, a doorway branching into a tiny hallway with a couple of doors lining the walls. I remember this place. This is where I read the e-mail about Jessica, right before I got crucified. It's all coming back, slowly. All those haunting memories left in the dust, they've come back for revenge. I'm never going to let her go, am I?

All of the doors were jammed, or locked. Figures. I stepped back into the hallway, heading deeper in its unnerving confines. It felt unsettling, thought I couldn't understand why. Nothing in this damned school was alive, aside from that tongue that ambushed me in the vents. Was it capable of killing me? Can I be killed by the hands of my own mind? I was being killed, slowly. I didn't fear death, I welcomed it, but my waning mental health was starting to get me worried.

I remember this hallway. The corridor intersected to the right, towards another hall brimming with doors branching into offices. The only other door I could take wasn't worth the trip at any rate, leading into a lavatory with a pair of stalls left ajar on their jagged hinges. But more importantly, sinks. I tried the dial on one and received a fresh flow of absolutely nothing. Was worth a try though.

The hallway it is. My labored breathing could probably be heard from the other side of corridor, that's how silent it was. I sat the camera on my chest, letting my own senses guide me as my eyes gradually adjusted to the poor lighting.

A sudden succession of shrill rings splint the silence dominating this corridor, I shrieked as I leaped backwards, managing to crack the exact center of my spine on the edge of a rolling table set in the corridor. I tumbled sideways onto the icy cement, numbness immediately taking over my limbs as I struggled to move them. What the fuck was that?! An odd sound cut the air, then a sharp whizzing working its way up to my head. Am I alive? Am I still able to move? The pain in my spine died somewhat as my senses came back to me, my limbs still under my control.

Is that a... phone?

The ringing elevates its intensity with every step I take further into the corridor, the rough texture of the doorframes around me biting into my worries. They are all vacant, every single one of them. A sharp crackle sends my heart pummeling into my ribs, almost causing me to drop all sense of rationality and sprint like a bitch. Relax, it's only my footsteps. Nothing more than my footsteps.

The phone is closer now. Is it even in this hallway? I couldn't trust anything that happened in these waking dreams. Last time I did, I was attacked by a fucking tongue. Sometimes, it was best if you stopped contemplating some things. This is gonna be one hell of a story to share with the rest of the world. As long as I kept my wits sharp, I would survive this and live to tell the tale.

The camera shut down.

Excuse me, what? I checked the battery to see if it had slightly budged from its position and stopped working, but it was stuck in there tight. I tried the ON/OFF button, but nothing seemed to be working. No, this can't be happening. This is what I had feared. My camera turning against me, letting me down. I don't understand, what even happened?

I recoiled away in shock as all of the doors currently present in this corridor slammed shut in unison, except the one a bit forward and to the right. My nerves were shot, and my reflexes too slow. I simply gawked as some sort of entity stepped out of the office, bringing veins of crimson goo along with it after its trail. This creature was indescribable, almost made entirely of malice. Several arms laid out on his chest, absent of any skin, all muscle. Its chin was gone, only an elongated tongue left dangling under its grotesque head. Its eyes were blue, but their eyelids were either removed or were never there. More tongues sprawled from its chest and thigh, several enlarged penises barely suspended by its groin.

I had nothing to say. My legs were taking me backwards without my approval, to where I came from. My instincts were screaming at me to run, and never come back. It was slowly approaching me, each step it took warping the floor and making squishy sounds. My arms were twitching, prickling. Its aura was death, an unstoppable wave of wild hunger, and lust. I wanted to run with all that was in me, get away from that thing. But some sort of force is keeping me watching, its intentions could only be psychopathy and sick curiosity. I feel hatred, intensified more than ever. It's a feeling I have wanted to achieve since the incident, overriding my drive for survival. The lights above pulse and flicker, indecisive of if they want to function or not. I know what this creature is, what it means. Manifestation of my fears, and nightmares. I would wake up screaming, horrified by what I had just witnessed. This creature is nothing more than death and suffering, things I strive to rid myself of. But this place brought them back, and naturally, him.

Loutermilch.

I twist away and tear through the corridor with all the strength I can muster up. The tiled cement walls, the rolling cart, rooms of people claiming to be one with religion, but using their privileges for evil practices. Everything is a blur around me as I lunge through the open doorway, barely avoiding slamming my shoulder into the wall before I stumbled sideways towards the lavatory. I practically plowed through the door as I spun about, gripped the edge tight and threw it shut.

He's gonna come in here. I gotta hide. I staggered towards the furthest stall from my position and barricaded myself in. It didn't seem possible to rest in this place. Even in these wonky dreams I'm getting pursued. If I keep going on like this, I seriously need to consider the possibility of just collapsing from exhaustion and never waking up again. I'm so tired.

I huddled near the toilet seat as I sat on the icy floor, a freezing chill irritating my nerves for a moment before dissipating away. I should sleep here for a while, let myself calm down, but I knew that wasn't in my options right now. Time is running short, and I'm nowhere close to the mines. As soon as I'm certain that... demon is not here, I'm heading out and finding a way out of here.

And try to forget the static gradually building up in my head. I swear it's getting more clear.

* * *

 **I think I should apologize for the length of these chapters. I'm trying to make sure the next chapter ends with the burial scene and simultaneously leaving content for the next chapter because then it would be too short. Summer is here, and I have a lot more time to write. Have a wonderful holiday.**


	15. Cat and Mouse

When I decided that it was time to leave, my mind refused. I forced my hand to unlock the stall door, even though I still didn't dare move an inch. I can't stay locked in this room for too long. That thing, Loutermilch. He hadn't come for me yet. Was he off sexually abusing another poor child? From here, nothing intelligible could be made out. Microphones transmitted nothing, aside from the odd sound that repeated itself in an orderly fashion.

Orderly. Pfft, like there were any in this school that was buried under my tragic history. There's no way of contacting anybody outside. No cellphone, no radio, not even smoke signals. Nothing to expose this shithole, only escape.

Time to move. My timid figure slowly creeped out of the cramped stall, leaning sideways and peering through the glass on the closed doorway. There didn't seem to be anybody with me here, excluding the ungodly amount of piss that was on the toilets. The lavatory was well lit through the aid of a set of fluorescents high on the ceiling, my nerves now at least stable enough for me to move forward and twist the doorknob.

I know that I said my camera was running low on batteries, and that I wanted to feel the walls, but the eerie darkness was really not good for what remained of my sanity. This model wasn't equipped with a strap that fixed it on your chest, so I was gonna have to make do with only a single arm while the other held the camcorder.

Where was I going again? To the ringing telephone. Whoever that was on the other side clearly wanted someone to answer, it had been a solid five minutes since I locked myself in that stall, and the phone was still persistent with its shrill rings echoing across the hallway. I made my uneventful trek back down the corridor, snatching a look behind with every footstep that felt like it wasn't mine.

The hand holding my camera quivers as I draw it to my side, fixed in place as I stare at the bright doorway, seeping hot white out into the pitch black corridor. This is it. This is where the ringing is coming from. No demon, or danger this time around. I push myself forward, accompanied by a screeching yawn as my boots scrape the tiled cement beneath, struggling with every inch of their strength to stay away from that doorway. No, I say. You have to keep moving. Always moving, out of my vision, into the depths of my fractured mind. I hear their begging, but I'm left with no choice but to turn a deaf ear to their frantic cries. Not this time.

The office is pretty standard stuff. Bookshelf lined up with colorful folders in the bottom row, the opposite row filled to the brim with papers upon papers, all of them unused and left rotting while this school aged. What a waste of trees.

The furthest wall was lined with a metal cabinet taking up about a fourth of the space suitable for solids, clamped shut and lacking any sort of key which could open it. My attention was more focused on the desk facing a pair of student chairs, complete with a clunky computer, exhausted napkins and a bottle of sharp whiskey missing half of its contents. The incessant hum of the black telephone wasn't much farther away, nearing the edge and practically inching to tip over and fall onto the cold cement below.

It's still ringing. How is it even ringing? This place doesn't exist anymore, only an unpleasant memory trapped deep inside my mind. I'm the only one here, I have to be the only one here. My unhinged psyche must be playing tricks on me, or I'm just itching for somebody to hold me tight and get me out of this nightmare. I gave a sharp shudder recollecting the memories.

Let's see who you are. I dislodged the phone from its receiver and softly pressed it on my ear, even though I was bit hesitant on the idea beforehand. The signal gave a swift buzz before connecting me to the other side, my focus dead set on whoever was about to speak.

 _"Hello?"_

My mind tangled for a brief moment in order to place who the voice belonged to, but that sly tone couldn't be mistaken for anybody else in this entire planet. I chose not to speak, and instead listen to whatever he had to say.

 _"Hello?! Oh thank God you're alive! I need you to stay calm."_

What the hell is he on about?

 _"We're going to get you help. We'll get you out of there."_

Help? From him? I seriously doubt it, but I wouldn't wish this fate upon my worst enemy, not even Loutermilch. How is he gonna help me anyway?

 _"I want you to find a place to hide. Someplace safe, where you can remember the taste of her kiss when you felt her neck break you diseased cocksucker!"_

Something's scrubbing my chin. My nerves instantly fired into action, and I poised the phone away from my face, leaving myself to simply gawk at the slimy tongue fixed on top of the microphone. My survival reflexes kicked in a second too late, I was left gurgling as the tongue elongated from its position and clamped tight around my throat, refusing to budge as I gripped its base and tried to yank it free.

ARGH! I squeeze my fingers harder into the grotesque appendage, and it responds by literally twisting my throat and forcing blood to my brain. I yowled, and another incomprehensible sound gurgled in the back of my throat, my words coming out of my mouth as desperate chokes resembling that of a dying animal. I'm barely holding onto consciousness as it is, my vision dims and wavers between life and death, all the while I'm trying to get this fucking thing off my neck.

A sharp snap, and the tongue instantly ceases all struggle and thrusts back into the telephone. The entire phone rocks with the vicious brunt, sending a firm wave of tremors into my palm as the nerves ripple with the vengeful sensation.

That's it! I'm done! My mind is shattered, life ruined. It's all because of you, asshole! In a violent frenzy, I snare the receiver in my stiff fingers and jam the cold metal into my bones, crying out in anger as I hurl it across the room. It flies clean through the open doorway, and straight into the wall as the impact splinters the phone into its basic components, all of them hurtling onto the ground at an alarming speed.

That's what you get. That bastard! That smug bastard! I would see him die, I would. Whatever it took. For what he did...

Nausea slowly settles into my mind, my injuries inviting themselves back into my senses as the adrenaline wears off. The space in my palms. My sore ribs. My throat. My everything!

My eyelids begin to droop, everything feels so distant and alien. I collapse to my knees and clamp onto the rim of the desk, to keep from falling onto the cold cement below. It's so much comfy here. Just need a second to rest. Please. I rest my head on the wooden desk, and even though the edge slices against my skull, it's still much better than the floor.

I'm not sure if I can get up. My trembling knees struggled to suspend me in the air, I felt the wood dig harder into my thigh as I braced into the desk. I need to calm down, slow my heart rate. I can't get fazed like this anymore. I've been through worse. What's one tongue? One alive, murderous tongue.

My mind cleared more or less, my natural instincts to go save my wife would keep me up and working for a while. I braced against the desk as I pushed myself upwards, slipping into my wobbling knees sooner or later. The empty trash can beneath the desk scraped against my foot as I hoisted myself over it, jiggling the handle and stepping through to the hollow corridor.

Shit, where to now? I've gotta find a way out of here. I've been trapped here far too long, who knows how much aimless roaming I did while in the real world. The door leading into the other parts of was locked, of course. Although I could try some that were in the hallway. The mechanisms only grinded against wood as I rattled their handles, each one of them shut down tight, except for the one where I came from.

It's gonna have to be it. No way to leave this corridor otherwise, just hope I can find a way out. I made my swift return back to the hallway with the lavatory, keeping the camcorder steady over my nose in the process. It had fallen to about a fourth of its battery life, but it'd hold. As long as the night vision functioned, I was good.

My timid steps made their way past the doorframe, and to the left as I forgot which way the corridor extended to. It was the lavatory. I spun about, facing the giant hallway where the lights had gone out.

Wait. I don't remember leaving the lavatory door open.

Gentle footsteps echoed across the entire corridor as I gulped, my vision warped and crimson veins strewn on the walls. Sure enough, it was him. Loutermilch. Two of his arms were braced against his chest, his eyes glowed in the lighting of the NV as he took firm steps towards my dumbfounded figure, his posture straight and not hesitant in the slightest.

He stopped no more than a feet away from me as I stood there, gawked at what I was witnessing. I wanted to move, run away. I really shouldn't be here right now. I need to get away from him. I fired electrical signals into my nerves, urging my legs to kick into action and get me out of this situation, but no response. The grotesque demon bent his upper body to face the ceiling, and thrust his tongue upwards as the appendage rapidly elongated from its original position. I was too focused to see where it went to, my only focus was on him, trying to guess what he was gonna do next.

"Let me help you."

I didn't track the amount of time I must've stood there while he did things I couldn't give any sense to. He eventually stopped and snapped his attention back to me, boring into my soul with his surprisingly intact blue eyes.

 _Move Blake, you've gotta do something!_

I was quick to react this time. The demon lunged forth directly towards me, extending his arms to reach for my face as I sprang forward, snagged the handle and brought the door back to its hinges as it cracked in the frame. Time was limited, and so was my life. I jerked away as the demon smashed full force into the door, which somehow held its own against the wall of pure muscle and rage trying to burst through.

I didn't wait around for the second blow. I whirled around and began sprinting towards the light at the end of the dimly lit corridor. The camera feed flickered once again, distorting the image before I shoved it away and averted my focus on the bright crimson veins traveling with me along the walls. I was too scared to check if he got through that door, although I was sure something solid was with me in this corridor.

The lavatory door literally blinked out of existence right as I turned around to snatch a look behind, the demon charging through like an olympian and tailing after my trail with nearly equal speed as me. Fuck! I heard something metal crash against the wall as I scrambled to catch the edge of the doorframe, and swung around the corner in the same motion.

"HE'S COMING!"

There was somebody at the end of the hallway. JESSICA! Right there, it was her! I felt the temperature rise as my steps quickened, snaring her hand without breaking speed and slamming my shoulder against the duo doors lacking their handle. Locked?! You gotta be kidding me! Open! Goddamnit.

I whirled around just as Loutermilch made the corner, cutting the distance between us by each second I wasted. I snapped my attention back to Jessica, who was silent and staring at the fantastical creature dashing towards us with every inch of his bizarre existence.

There is no way out. We're stuck! I can't let her get killed by that wicked monster, devoid of any empathy and love. I have to protect her. Think Blake, think! How can I protect her?! No panels for her to climb, no floor hatch. My eyes scanned the room for any hiding spots, I was definitely overthinking the situation, but it was impossible to focus with that thing rocking the cement floor with each step he took!

My eyes grasped the blue lockers lining the walls, rows upon rows pressed against slick concrete, all of them vacant and unlocked. Perfect for a hiding spot. I didn't let the softness of her skin distract me from preserving her life, I yanked one open as its hinges violently ground together, its interior only consisting of painted metal. She didn't have time to say anything before I tossed her in, and threw it shut after her. My twitchy fingers fumbled with the lock, my mind racing and thoughts arriving and departing in the same second.

"You're gonna be okay, Jess. Just stay there! I'll protect you. I won't let anything happen to you, do you hear me?! Just stay-"

The pain was instantaneous, I had a momentary lapse in motor functions as I tried to keep my eyes focused on the locker. My throat felt like it was about to burst open, something jagged and sharp jammed deep inside it. I gurgled, or at least tried. Only blood came spewing out of my mouth, the sharp object wrenched free as I staggered sideways, barely holding onto a locker to avoid falling.

My vision was starting to dim. I found enough strength to turn towards whatever had attacked me, my eyes saw the demon looming over my figure, but my brain was lagging behind, trying to comprehend what had just happened. Was I dying? Something had definitely went into my neck, I think I was dying. I swear I saw some sort of pity in his eyes, partially cloaked behind his oversized forehead. Was he actually feeling remorse, or was he just faking it? I amplified my grip on the locker, determined to hold onto my conscious as long as I could. I can't die this way. I can't die this way. I can't. Get up Blake, shake it off. Get the fuck up!

The room was spinning further and further away. I began to wonder if this was really death, just eternal oblivion. All those genocides in the name of religion, they were all about to be made meaningless in these last seconds of my life. The demon slowly opened his mouth, and his tongue soon followed. My vision flashed red as it ripped straight through my throat, my breathing hitched as my innards and brain activity churned to a halt. I hardly felt it, all of it felt fake. I was dying. This was happening. My whole life jammed into this one moment, my fate ending in a school long gone, all alone and in the mercy of a monster. I failed my wife, I failed Jessica. I deserve this death. I can't do anything right, I can't even survive for the sake of my wife. She's going to die, and so am I.

"Please, don't kill me..."

His expression was unchanged. The final sensation I felt was scorching pain digging deep into my chest, in the form of innumerable tongues. My organs shredded apart, my neck on the verge of decapitation from the rest of my body. Everything felt distant, distant, and more distant. My thoughts dissolved as my head departed my body, tumbling onto the cement once cold, but now unable to be felt. My headless body collapsed sideways, I was able to see for a brief moment before everything went dark, and my senses diminished one by one.

Hell was waiting for me on the other side.

* * *

 _"Blake, are you really sleeping?"_

 _"Huh...? Where are we?"_

 _"The lake, like you said. I knew you'd fall asleep the moment I took control of the wheel."_

 _"I wasn't. I was just resting my eyes."_

 _"Sure."_

 _"Lynn, you don't have to berate me every time I fall asleep while I'm not on the bed. People aren't that energetic during the day. At least normal people."_

 _"Are you one of those 'normal people?'"_

 _"At least I'm not the one who wakes up her husband in the middle of the night to have breakfast."_

 _"Come on, you sleep at like 9 PM."_

 _"I sleep at 10 PM. Perfectly normal. You'd sleep at 10 PM too if you were holding up that camera all day."_

 _"I have to give you that, what you did in that conference should not be underestimated."_

 _"Right? That guy went on for so long, I zoned out at some point and legitimately thought he was just_ _spewing random words from his ass."_

 _"Haha! What did you think he was saying?"_

 _"I think something about children rights? I'm a goddamn cameraman, my job is to record, not listen. That's your job."_

 _"Well then. Would you like me to tell you what he said? Just to pass the time, since the lake is still a few miles away."_

 _"I thought you said we arrived."_

 _"The car is still moving, idiot. Blake, you confuse me sometimes."_

 _"Just tell me what he said then."_

 _"Okay, it all starts with..."_

The helicopter crash. Was I dead? Was everything that happened after the crash even real? That demon, he killed me. I should be dead. I couldn't feel anything. There was only darkness, and death. Was this the fate that most of humanity faced after their bodies went limp? This was it, the answer science and religion was looking for. Penetrating and encompassing black. Eternal oblivion.

Then I felt something in my body whirl back to life and start beating against my chest. My heart. How is my heart even working? I should be dead. I should be! I don't want to go back. Please. I thought for a second my consciousness was just fooling itself, that I was still alive after I got decapitated. No use, I was dead. My body was just gonna have to accept that.

That sentiment only lasted a brief second, a dull ache settled into my marrow, slowly spreading until my whole body felt weak. My senses trickled in little by little. I didn't know where I was, but I could definitely make out the faint outline of timber a few inches away from my face. I could smell the stagnant veil of decaying wood, or was that my jacket? My hands were numb after all the time spent under my weight, but I could move them around the cramped area to feel the surroundings. Most of it was plain wood, but a certain part felt soft. Too soft to be timber. My neck cracked as I turned my head over to the warm sensation, my weary sight focused on the object until it was completely clear.

A coat. What's a coat doing here? Where is even here? Right, my camera. I need to see. My whole body was numb, I grunted as I worked my poor hand loose from my weight sinking down on it, and let the cold surface work its way up to my nerves. My pouch was already unlocked, the camera displayed no resistance as I propped it up to my face and flicked on the NV.

Everything gradually fell into place as I realized what had happened to me. I'm in a goddamn wardrobe. My 'death' was just a dream, everything has been a dream since I retrieved my camera. How long have I been in this thing, just huddled up like a coward? The air was putrid, I couldn't hear or see anything beyond the thin slit segregating the wooden panels. No sign of life, no sound or disturbance that I could detect. Timber groaned as I freed it from its hinges, I crept forward out of the cramped slot, my numb feet atremble before adjusting to my weight.

A room. A bedroom, to be more exact. The first thing to catch my attention was the stains of filthy soil embedded on the brittle walls, planks weathered and about to pass the threshold of crumbling down. Writing on the walls, some of it from blood, some of it... chalk, I think. Ad Inferiper Aspera. Sounds like latin. Too bad my linguistic knowledge is sparse, if any. Paintings and crosses also accompanied the writing, a dim lantern keeping the room away from darkness. The small bed wasn't especially tidy, particularly the pair of hobbit legs causing the mattress to morph into a red hue. Legs? Here, of all places? They looked too short to belong to an adult, and too wide to belong to a toddler or a kid. Not like there'd be one alive in this place anyway.

Now this had me intrigued. The skin was scarred to all hell, much more than any other member I've seen so far. The cut was precise and symmetrical, so whoever these legs belonged to didn't lose them in a fight. Perhaps an amputation due to disease? But who could it belong to?

Whatever. Time is running low, I have only a few hours to reach the mines. I was already there several times if those damn locusts didn't fly over the railroad bridge and decided to pick a different route. My crucifixion, contracting fatal disease, all of that could've been avoided if those walking zombies and their dwarf leader just left me alone.

Laird. That damn psycho. I had nearly forgotten him. Where could he be? Searching for me, most likely. Thank god he didn't find me while I was dreaming, or I'd join the dozens of corpses absolutely scattered throughout this forest. All the more reason I can't stay in one place for too long. I need to get moving. The door leading out of the bedroom was left ajar, nothing struck my interest when I peered through the opening. There was some sort of letter left on the table, accompanied by an ink pencil and a complete copy of the Gospel of Knoth. There wasn't enough time to read it all, and the clock was already past 4 AM. I snatched the crumpled paper into my filthy thumbs and began sifting through the clean handwriting.

 _Laird,_

 _There is nothing so wretched among the  
_ _afflicted as self-pity, and I trust you not to allow_  
 _yourself satisfaction in such a womanly sin. If the_  
 _disciples I have entrusted you to lead are hungry,_  
 _and in pain, and afraid, it's a necessity of their_  
 _physical sin and the will of God. I send to you all_  
 _the food and wine that God wants you to have and_  
 _no more. I've had visions of this plague worsening, of_  
 _all our suffering reaching a point at which none of_  
 _us will be able to further endure. So rejoice! Take_  
 _comfort that we will soon reach the center of this  
_ _suffering and emerge into paradise everlasting. If_  
 _you cannot control your people by your tongue, then_  
 _do so by the fists of your mount._

 _Papa loves you, God will deliver you._  
 _Knoth_

 _PS- I've included a satchel of the salted crickets  
_ _Nick so loves, please see that he gets them and_  
 _knows they're a gift from me._

This letter, it must be Knoth's reply to the one Laird wrote to him that I found back in the chapel. It must be. He says he has 'visions' of the plague worsening. The visions were also what caused him to form the cult. Before that, they were probably some type of criminal outcasts that decided to leave the rest of humanity behind and settle down somewhere desolate. Could these visions be similar to my hallucinations of the catholic school I used to go to? That white flash, it crashed the helicopter, and seemed to put the cultists in some type of hypnotized state. The static in my head began around that time, so that has to be connected. Knoth must be thinking that the white flashes are god sending him visions. Then why does it make me remember the place where Jessica died, instead of somewhere happy? Is it because I'm someone Knoth doesn't like? So that makes his irrational beliefs real, which are obviously not.

All of this was too much for my exhausted brain to decipher, and to make it into something comprehensible. I had too much going on already, my cluttered mind needed rest. The camcorder clicked as I took a picture of the letter, and set it down to where it stood before. I could only hope Laird wasn't roaming around this area, I'd die before I let him get ahold of me again. Maybe the fucker would crucify me again, or do something worse. I just needed to tread carefully, and avoid getting spotted by anyone.

But as all matters tangled in Temple Gate's mockery, fate was not a force to be toying with.

The arrow must've been airborne before I even touched the handle. The timber on the frame caved inward, bursting into fragments as the sound produced shattered what remained of the calm silence.

This normally would've been my cue to shut that door back and go curl up in a corner, but my instincts were too expended to function properly. Another arrow gathered just beyond the fog, illuminating two forms that couldn't have been mistaken for anybody else. I watched as Laird equipped the arrow on his bow, and aimed towards my face with an indifferent expression. I shot forward just as the flaming projectile did the same, ducking under the window located beside the front door.

Another arrow came hurling through the open doorway and stopped somewhere inside the bedroom with a loud thwack. I felt the tremors as Nick stepped closer to the house I was in, and grumbled something that my microphone couldn't transmit correctly. My chances of finding a way out of the woods were nil, this was just overkill. How the fuck am I gonna traverse while they're right outside, much less get out of this house? I'll just have to play it smart, and watch out for those arrows. I have to survive.

Battery. On my side of the front door stood a circular table, filled with foodstuff that were all consumed, along with a battery that looked unused. I quickly plucked it into my pocket and retreated back to cover. I had no way of getting visuals from the outside, unless I peered through the windows and promptly received an arrow deep into my noggin. Still, there was no alternative way to exit aside from the windows in the back, but I'd get shot before I pushed those open. Think. I need to think.

Fuck. Those windows are gonna have to be it. I can't believe my survival depends on the construction worker who decided this house didn't need a backdoor. I made sure I had a firm grip on the camera, power about to deplete fully. I'll refill it once I'm safe. My plan was to expose my face through the window, dodge the arrow Laird would fire, and hustle out of the window while he reloaded his bow. Solid enough to fool them.

My face must've been like a horrified rabbit staring at its predator, words couldn't describe the level of stress I felt, my head slowly creeping into view. My eyes scanned for silhouettes beyond the foggy window, ready to bolt at the first hint of movement. I was putting myself at risk just being here, if I could still stand behind the window at my full height, chances are that they thought I already escaped and went to go track me down. That seemed logical. Too logical. I needed to get going before they found me again. Shit.

ţ̧̀͟o͟͝ǫ̶ ҉̢a̷͘͞l̸̕̕͢i̷̕͝v̶̀͜e͏̧̡͢

My mind went blank when a flash of static struck hard into my thoughts, snapping me out of my surroundings and into my subconscious. I was in a black void, falling. Just falling. My senses felt distant, almost like if they weren't mine. It was the static again, buzzing inside my skull like a fly scrambling for an exit while there is a wide open window just above it. Too much. I had been through too much. I shift a bit, feeling something pressing into my forehead. It's like a warning, a primal instinct that warns me when danger is near. I'm back in the helicopter, discussing with Lynn about how to record an intro for the press. Only hours stand between me and that moment, and it already feels like my childhood. I miss it, I miss it so much. But that feeling of danger still persists. It's not related to the static. Almost like a warning that something is about to kill me. Something amber gradually floods my vision as I blink to see what it is, and simply gawk at the flaming object soaring through the air like an elegant bird, aiming straight for my face.

Arrow!

Adrenaline instantly snaps into my veins as I scramble backwards, my feet burrowed between the floorboards. The arrow whizzed right above my head as I stumbled onto the floor, a loud thump accompanied by broken glass raining down on my body. It took a moment to recollect my footing and haul myself up, jerking sideways in response to another flaming arrow speeding through the window and nearly into my chest. The windows in the front were partially boarded up, but that didn't stop Laird from trying to hit me anyway. Brittle timber snapped apart as the arrow tried to break through, I didn't see the aftermath as I was busy prying open the window leading outside.

Fuck! My thoughts were a jumbling mess, another arrow thumped into the wood right near my head, I smashed my elbow against the windowframe as I forced myself through it, stumbling forward but clawing up to my feet and renewing my pace. I didn't know where I was going, or if they were following me. Only trees and boulders lined my way, I pushed them aside and ran as far as I could. Even with the night vision up, I was still bumping into things, heaving over them and resuming my sprint. The battery was almost out of juice, but I didn't want to put in the new one without fully exhausting the other.

I can't see shit. I slowed my sprint and snatched a quick look behind me, the visor in maximum zoom but still unable to pick out anything beyond five feet. I tried the microphones, but even those only transmitted the sounds the camera itself was generating. The lantern was out of the dilemma, I'd be like a walking beacon. The image flickered out of focus several times, NV dimming and rising. Damn it, I think I need to insert the new battery. My doubtful sentiments were promptly confirmed as something hefty made its way into my steps. I jerked away, but only made more noise as clutters of something thin crinkled under my weight. I couldn't see what they were, but they seemed to completely cover the ground, wherever I stepped to.

I need to see. The battery I stashed in my coat pocket gave some resistance in order to break free, the damn thing had wedged itself deep inside the spacious pocket, under a small piece of fiber that had accidentally hid the object while I was running around the place. After I removed the battery from the camcorder, I pondered the notion that I could toss it on the grass and nobody would care, and nothing of value would be effected. This was place already contaminated enough, what was a single, small battery?

Back to full. A sense of relief washed over me when I activated the NV, and was met with a plentiful sight of rotting men hoisted onto trunks by their innards, a set of arrows acting as the nails. I took a step forward, swiftly reminded of the mysterious objects hindering my movement. They were innumerable stacks of twigs shrouding the soil beneath, dozens of them were crammed into small areas which made steps hard to take, and running impossible. I was fine as long as I took long and heavy steps.

I pressed forward through the foggy forest, navigating between boulders and overgrown trees. I couldn't hear any footfalls around me, nothing to indicate that they've been tracking me silently all this time. Had I lost them? I sure as hell hope I did, I don't think I could've gotten that lucky again. There must be a way out of this forest, something that'll firmly set me on the right path.

My path finally concluded down a hasty incline, past some boulders was situated a small cabin. The windows were barred shut, I couldn't make out any definitive shapes beyond them, or the stained glass. I tried the front door, but despite the handle turning loosely in my hand, the door refused to budge. I tried again, exerting a little bit more muscle in it this time, but all the door gave was disappointment.

Shit. There has to be a way in, I need to take shelter somewhere, long enough that they'll lose interest and wander away towards another part of the forest. A map would be very useful right now, or even just a compass. There was a fence surrounding this area, I took subtle notice in it as I encircled the house, searching for a busted window or another entryway. Laird and Nick were nowhere to be seen or heard, only the drone of crickets and fireflies my camcorder transmitted. I turned off the microphones and flicked on the night vision, another door instantly caught the visor as I made the corner, revealing its true nature when I jiggled the handle. Fucking jammed, of course. It seemed that this house was inaccessible, I needed to seek my safety somewhere else.

Back into the danger it would seem. There was a distant gleam of a lantern beyond range, highlighting an open window panel into what seemed to be another wooden cabin. I started towards that direction in a casual jog, the canopies overhead blocked some of the moonlight, my NV was proving to be more competent than ever. The numerous twigs didn't have any control over me this time around, I pushed through them unhindered and heaved over the last few pieces before resuming my pace unaffected.

Indeed, it was a cabin that I saw back there. The window gave way effortlessly, only the brief sound of timber snapping filled the silence as I hopped the window frame and set my boots onto the timeworn planks. Nothing much decorated the interior, a disorganized mattress and a rotting corpse mostly consumed by flies and maggots. Not a good place to bunker down, I'm afraid. I made my swift exit out the other window, focused and mobile towards the eerie forest absent of any threats that want me dead. I was still unnerved by the fact that Laird was nowhere to be found. The sneaking suspicion that I was suddenly going to receive an arrow to the back of my head and everything would go black was getting stronger. I was probably waiting for nothing, but spending a night in this place would do that to your sanity and rationality.

I kept low and sticked close to the fence, scanning my surroundings thoroughly with every few steps I took. I couldn't shake off the paranoia anymore, it was too much and too real. What if they were silently following me, and waiting for me to drop my guard and shoot me dead? My mind kept flashing back to the cornfields, those streets littered with the corpses of heretics, before I even encountered Marta. They were nailed to trees, burnt and flayed. Knoth instructing his followers via intercom. The wails and sobs of people dying, and thrown down wells. Those sort that couldn't be replicated even in the most realistic movie. Those people are never going to live again, never going to live out the rest of their lives. Bodies decorate the streets and homes, bodies make up most of the biomatter, human and animal. It's too late to save them now, the only thing I can do is call the police and get them all arrested. Once I get out, I need to do that. Otherwise, I couldn't live with the fact that most of humanity lives a normal life while these people get slaughtered daily. I just can't.

Another member murdered by Laird. The arrows dug deep into his spine, his body faced the sky, mouth agape. He's one with the earth now, forever rid of the curse that is life, or perhaps, life in this place. I feel sorry for him, but most wouldn't. Not with the amount of pain they are in. Another open window led into a mostly empty interior, only a bench and some wooden sticks stacked neatly side by side. I need to find a way out, get a complete mental map of this area. It feels like I'm just going in circles, the fence wasn't helping either. This forest seemed more like an artificial biodome more than anything, all that is missing is the reflective glass up in the sky. In favorable conditions, I could scale these chain link fences easily, what was stopping me? But too many factors fought against me right now. There was barbed wire, not worth risking with the state my hands are in. I was also pretty exhausted, my ribs ached everytime I held onto something, and I was barely clinging onto life. Not a chance I could climb that.

Before leaving this cabin, there was a door left ajar that I wanted to check first. Timber yawned as I forced the door away from its hinges, a bedroom was waiting for me on the other side. The bed itself was not particularly tidy, or clean, but it looked comfortable enough to sleep on. Beside it stood a wooden shelf pressed against the brittle walls, it hosted only a battery and a journal that was barren of any text. That goes for my camera, thank you. Faint hints of light gushed in from the barred window, I retraced my steps back out the door and promptly smashed my hip against the edge of the frame on the way out. My breath momentarily escaped me, I let out a small yelp before burying my face into my jacket to muffle the noise. Shit, that hurts. My nerves pulsed with the sensation of dull pain, I bit my lip to calm myself as I began towards the front door. It was locked, but from my side. So I could unlock it.

Sleep deprived, scared out of my mind, body injured and partially mutilated. I was losing my wits. What did Knoth say to Laird? "Do not indulge in the vanity of self-pity," is what he said. Fuck him, I have every right to feel sorry for myself. Who knows how much trauma I'm going to endure before I even reach Lynn, I'm extremely lucky to have survived this far. My death is probably near, what I'm doing is just delaying the inevitable. The deadbolt shifted without giving any hassle, I jammed my fingers on the handle and turned it to a certain extent, but an abrupt voice from the other side quickly deterred me from twisting it any further. It sounded rough, almost raspy. The words he spoke were barely audible, the faint clatter of timber was genuinely louder.

"It's voices. Here. Close. The light."

The feeble wood quaked under his weight as he cut the distance between us, the sound of equipment shuffling back and forth with his heavy footfalls, they might've as well announced their name already. I hastened to back away, but sprang forward to lock the door once I realized I didn't have enough time to hide otherwise. The grating sounds of his breath snapped me alert, I flew into a sudden dash and retreated back into the bedroom. The amount of noise I generated was more than enough for them to figure out that something solid was inside. A draft glanced across my back as I slid under the only hiding space available in the room, the bed I previously deemed too filthy to sleep on.

He rattled the handle, my instinct warned me to crawl further into the bed, I was just beneath the edge. But if I made the tiniest movement, I was afraid they'd find me. I brought up my camera and activated the microphones, my feed instantly transmitting raspy breathing and heavy clatter of equipment. I was curious to why he wasn't ramming the door already, like all of my other pursuers throughout this night. I winced when he tried the handle again, the sound now amplified and well inside hearing range. Laird muttered something to him. It was again too silent for me to hear. Were they not coming inside?

Not a chance. The door instantly crashed inward with one blow as Nick burst through, it felt like the whole cabin shook with the collision. I nearly lost my cool and was about to gasp, but barely recovered as I shoved my face into my jacket. He didn't hear me! He didn't hear me!

I couldn't see at all without the presence of my camera, but didn't have the right state of mind to raise it up to my eyes. Both of their gazes roamed the walls and shadows with intent, I felt my chances of survival trickle down with each second that passed by. Don't check under the bed, please. My breath hitched when the deformed giant decided to move, the planks quaking with each time he sunk his weight onto them. I should've shut the door, I really should've shut the door. They were out of my view for now, microphones detected them beyond the wall to my left, near those cabinets I inspected earlier. The intensity detectors shot up to red everytime Nick exhaled, my soft whimpers were nothing to compared to them.

"You can hide from us, but you can't hide from God!"

Shut up, Laird. It felt like the space around me was getting smaller, my apparent figure disguised behind a silhouette that'd only get exposed by Nick's lantern, scanning wherever he pointed it towards. A brief moment of panic ensued when the lantern came shining towards the bed, I bit my tongue and shuffled as far as I could away from the edge. My fingers dug hard into the planks below, my teeth gritted in anticipation. I was waiting for them to find me and drive one of those arrows straight into my face, the cause of my death stupidity itself. I knew I should've picked another hiding spot!

"Not here..."

He gave one last glance towards the bedroom, a firm one, before finally vacating the wooden cabin and leaving me alone with the overbearing silence. The steady rumble of heavy footfalls faded with each moment that passed by, we were now back to square one. I'm going in fucking circles, becoming too predictable. I might need to act smarter around these guys now that they're accustomed to how I behave and act, like how you would monitor an endangered species that is on the brink of extinction. I've never felt more helpless in my life until today. My right to live was out of my hands, handed to these psychos that think I'm their Messiah who descended from the sky to cure them of their diseases. That helicopter crash and the whole descending from the sky ordeal might cast some pretty neat symbolism on this whole thing, but it doesn't justify torturing me and hunting me down relentlessly until I no longer existed.

In the end, only the survival of myself and Lynn mattered. Quietly, I slid out from under the bed and slunk towards the open doorway, avoiding the line of sight provided by the wide open doorway leading outside the house. I focused on the soft buzzing of insects feasting on a corpse, somewhat similar to the static I was used to sensing by now. I was becoming more and more obsessed with the image that formed when I shut my eyes, now resembling some type of creature, like the product of a nightmare. But not mine.

Can't take the front door, too risky. Instead, I hopped the window panel and closed it behind me, timber cracking in the frame as both of the hinges rubbed together. My objective was pretty clear, or at least to me. I'd need to walk along the fence until I found something that'd let me get through, a gap or an area where barbs were not installed. My steps were not that of a relaxed living being, soil rustled and kicked up, boulders were left in awe as I bumped into them from time to time, more focused on my pursuers that were treating this like a game, a sick round of cat and mouse. I was the mouse. Their mouse.

As I sped around the next tree, I ran my mind through another one of my philosophical episodes and wondered, had there been a cult at all? What if I died after that crash, and this is hell? My wife captured, stuck with psychos trying to murder me. My personal hell. God wanted me suffer after I became an atheist and lost my ways, all because of Loutermilch who caused the death of one of my closest friends, and I got expelled because of it. That's the type of stuff that'll make even the most faithful zealot question their beliefs. He's out there, probably living his life in comfort while I slowly rot here, legitimately contemplating if this reality is even real, and my death most likely near. Not even granted a single chance of atonement for my supposed sins, while the bad guy lives rich. Is this what it means when people say that life isn't fair? If so, fuck that saying. This is downright injustice, and I won't stand for it.

I was doing okay so far, probably ran the entire perimeter, or was about to. I didn't exactly know where the perimeter ended, and that worried me. The time I had left was sparse, even more so when I picked up the faint clatter of metalwork somewhere in the distance, gradually getting more pronounced the longer I waited. I didn't stick around for them to reach me, I took a swift turn to the left and stumbled across yet another cabin bordering on the fence boxing us in. It seemed familiar, like someplace I've checked before, but I still made it a point to rattle one of the doors and confirm it to be jammed.

Wait. I remember this house. It's the first one I checked, and found the windows barred shut. I think it's safe to say that I had the whole perimeter covered, no matter how ridiculous that sounded. There had to be a way out of here, at least something! Even a goddamn pair of fence cutters would suffice, even though I've never used one before, I'd adapt.

Onwards, I guess. I regained my speed without much effort, that dreaded sound of equipment rocking back and forth still audible, although still out of earshot had I not utilized my microphones. Fences became barriers, they became simple lumps of atoms designed to block my path, and then back to being fences again. I was losing my grip on things. I was still looking for an easy way out, a gap that I could squeeze through, most preferably. I was losing time moving with this pace, I kept along towards the left, disappearing among the countless trees lacking foliage and barren of any semblance of recovery. My attention span had gotten pretty low, I was honestly not watching where I was going anymore. I didn't need to anyway, the only things that were obstructions in my path were low hanging branches, and those were easily swatted aside without any problem. The only thing that mattered now was keeping a safe distance between me and them, even if that meant I'd travel to the edge of the universe. I was much faster and agile than them, so hopefully, they wouldn't be much of a hassle to deal with.

"Messiah!"

Huh?! I whirled around and searched for the voice, my muscles all but relaxed as I staggered backwards, towards a tree trunk that began consuming my terror once I pressed my back against it. I felt safe, even if it only lasted for a second. My heart pulsed as the flaming arrow whizzed past my head, Laird's trademark symphony for incoming danger. I hobbled sideways and caught a tree before I could falter, using its weight to propel myself forward and gain speed. I cradled the camera on my chest and braced for impact as another snap of timber came about behind my trail. The fleeting scent of crispy wood hit me like a momentary dash of wind, I gasped as the flaming projectile briefly illuminated a thin line of barbed wire hoisted between a pair of trees. My nerves snapped to action and I skid down without hesitation, shoving myself under the obstruction and soaking my outfit with dry soil.

"I beg for your forgiveness!"

The voice wasn't far. I kicked forward and clawed up to my feet, resuming my sprint. I was nearing towards the fence, but there seemed to be a constricted platform where the fence was absent. I returned my camera back to its pouch and activated my lantern, white illumination instantly settling around the immediate area. There was a narrow ledge that I could shuffle along to the other side, but it wouldn't be easy with the amount of arrows they were sending after me. Another one stuck into the wooden railing beside the ledge, I winced as I placed my feet on the thin platform and tried to move as fast as possible. I wasn't out of their sight yet, Laird had gotten faster at reloading and shooting, but that costed him his accuracy. I counted at least a dozen arrows simply dash past me before I was far enough that he couldn't see me.

"Heal me, Lord!"

It was too late to grab my camera now. The lantern had far less visibility range, but it was much easier to hold it. I lowered myself sideways, and shuffled little by little until my footing twisted around a corner. Only white smog filled the abyss beneath, I wasn't living if I managed to reach the bottom. One arm on the wall, one on the lantern, I was safely on the other side without any problems or inconveniences.

I already ran into a huge problem back there, I don't need another disfigured creature out for my death.

My surroundings were dark, even with the help of my lantern. The area appeared to be another dislocated platform, broken off from the other masses of land and left to its own devices. My thoughts revisited the unsettling notion that my path would eventually come to an end and I would be stuck without being able to move forward. If I didn't find a way to proceed from this area, I'd have nowhere else to go, and certainly not back to that fenced area with those two. I managed to evade them once again, despite all odds rapidly set against me. They're still back there there, probably looking for another way to reach me. Go fast, don't stop and ponder too much. These rules have kept me in one piece so far.

The white fog was substantial, objects were barely illuminated by the lantern as I stumbled around partially blind. My chances of finding a way off was probably better walking along the edge, I tug at my collar as I scout, whirling leaves buffet my face. I don't feel alone out here, it feels like someone's always analyzing my every movement, jotting down how I behave and how I operate. This thought drives a new wave of shivers through my skin, and pain prods at my ribs.

My hands throbbed. I couldn't trust anything I was seeing out here, I rubbed at my eyes with the back of my wrists and took a second glance at the elongated trunk stripped bare of its foliage and branches, propped just above the endless abyss and its end point obscured beyond the heavy mist. I swapped the lantern with my camera and zoomed in through the fog, but despite even the NV, the only way to see what was on the other side required the assistance of my own eyes. I knew it had to be another platform, or it wouldn't be in this position at all, but the base of this thing was narrow, so I wanted to make sure before I risked my life balancing across, only to find another platform just like this, minus the tree.

Or I could just stop being a coward and cross the damn gap.

It seemed sturdy enough. I set my boots onto the trunk and carefully dragged my feet forward, my arms spread out to help maintain balance and to fight against the harsh winds moving about. Termites cling to my ankles, using me as a shield against the cold chill that threatened to push them off their tree log. I'd almost prefer Laird and Nick to this unnerving isolation, the fact that I could trip and fall. Nobody would either know or care, I'd just turn into another nameless sap that fell victim to this hellish place. Devoured alive by nightmares breaching the barrier between itself and reality.

The path ahead looked clear, I could see the faint outline of another platform clutching onto this ravine. It seemed that I had finally gotten rid of Laird and his annoying sidekick, they had no way to get out of there without some effort, and I hoped I'd be long gone by the time they did. Things were looking up.

One foot in front of the other, there we go. I was purely focused on my balance, not regarding any outside factors that might impede in my progress. This quickly came back to bite me in the ass, I flinched and jerked backwards with the sudden thunk of something crashing into the wood. It was a flaming arrow, wedged deep inside the trunk, or at least that was what I caught a brief glimpse of before staggering sideways off the bridge.

It felt like time had ground still in that precise moment, everything slowly morphing into a blur as I felt the air beneath me decrease. I might die here in this instant, my surroundings a blur before my body and consciousness splattered red. Like I said, just another nameless sap.

I refused to let that happen.

Everything was indeed a blur, but I thrust my arm forward and caught the edge before it could escalate further. I clung by one hand, but quickly made that two as I swung the other arm over my shoulder and onto the precarious ledge. My legs were left kicking away at nothing, I tensed every single bit of muscle in my facial structure and tried to exert myself upwards, dismissing the substantial throbbing forming in my wounds. Don't slip. For Lynn's sake, don't slip!

The wood under my weight snapped as another arrow came colliding with the tree. My fingers slipped, and a small cry erupted from my throat. The tree was resisting collapse, barely. My heel skid off backwards and my arms were reduced to flailing appendages, while another arrow whipped into sight and stuck into the space just above my hand. I swung out and barely caught the baseline of the burning projectile as it trembled with the sudden shift in weight. I was waiting for its eventual dislodge from the trunk and my plummet down to the depths of hell, but I was almost shocked when it held and stopped me from falling.

Laird! That fucker! He's not out of my hair yet, it seems. I pressed my cheek over my shoulder and gazed back, spotting their distant silhouettes nestled beyond the gloomy marks. He was preparing another arrow, I didn't wait around to see the conclusion as I gripped harder into his arrow, working on making it enough of a leverage so I could heave myself up. My foot finally kicked at something solid, a sure indicator that I was making progress. My flinch was momentary when the arrow struck the tree, close enough that I could use it to climb further up the ledge. This one was about to wedge free, I scraped my fingertips against the brittle stick and hauled my soggy body up, latching onto the next arrow and propelling myself up over the ledge with its support.

Most of his arrows were lost down the depths of the eerie abyss, his improper archery training was saving my life. I was hanging by my hands snarling as hot needles pulsed through my veins. I scrambled away from the edge and clawed up to my feet, launching forward and ditching what caution I had before I was ambushed as I ran straight down the bridge until I was back on stable ground.

This choice wasn't mine. As soon as I spotted that damn zealot preparing another arrow above his deformed mount, I dashed to the nearest piece of rock and took cover. Worst position I have been in yet. Dangling for my life above an endless abyss while having arrows shot at me from the distance, I'd almost prefer a hot bathtub and a roof above me with my wife sleeping in the next room. Such a fucking hard decision.

He isn't gonna let me go easily is he? He'll be waiting for me to pop my head out until he grew a beard, and will not let anything distract him from his duty. The path ahead looked clear, free of anything dangerous or a detriment to my well being. It seemed that the other threats I've encountered so far could forget what they were looking for or lose interest in the slightest inconvenience in order to reach me. Even Marta didn't bother to follow me when I climbed over that wall, but these two kept on their task until it was done.

I don't plan on giving up. Lynn deserves a happy life, She's lucky that I'm one determined bastard, much like Laird and Nick. I'm close.

* * *

 **This chapter took me almost an entire month to finish. I'm still beating myself over it, but chapters should be published more frequently from now on. Expect at least 2-3 chapters a month, just hope I can keep my word. Also hooray for reaching 100k!**


	16. Too Deep

This boulder was proving itself to be a nice piece of cover. My pursuers were located on the other side of this ravine, murky fog obscuring most of their features. Laird's face was momentarily illuminated by another one of his flaming arrows before he placed it on the string, my head went back behind the boulder as he fired, aiming for my face.

A shot in the dark, you could say. The distance between us was too vast for him to land any of his arrows. This boulder could withstand the blows for a long time, but I needed to get moving before it was too late. There was a stretch of land where I could proceed forward, tons of cover but only at knee level. I should have enough time to duck behind them if I sense another projectile incoming. But will I have enough time to make it to safety? I need to accelerate fast, and don't hesitate against anything.

It really wasn't up for debate. I was doing it or not. I growled between my teeth and sprang forward, leaving the confines of the boulder and towards exposed ground. My muscles jerked in a weird motion, almost instantly an arrow struck the stone tile a feet in front of my path. Fucking psycho, he was waiting for me to come out! I swung myself over a thin piece of tree trunk, my weight dislodging the thing from its position and causing it to smash against my foot. I yowled in pain as I stumbled forward with what physical faculties I had left, my eyes focused just enough to notice the sizable boulder set high towards the sky.

I felt the air dissolve behind my feet as I scrambled behind the solid structure, dragging my feet away from their sight and resting my back against the boulder. It felt heavy, but almost like it was hollow inside. My heart was beating fast, my chest actually convulsed with each thump in sync with it. I was inhaling through my mouth, my ribs were barely tolerating the abuse from my organs.

Remember, the first rule of surviving this place: Be unpredictable.

That means staying here for a while, my flight instinct is gonna have to wait. The worst thing I can do right now is to make a run for it. Laird has stopped firing, so that means he's waiting for me to emerge into his line of sight. He's caught on, that arrow is going to fly right into my shoulder the moment I expose myself. I might not die all at once, but I'll be praying for death. All that matters is time.

A click echoed across the ravine.

I was instantly amused. Here I thought he was getting smarter, but as it turns out, he's not quite as perceptive as I thought. The impact with the boulder was imminent, I could easily witness it behind the safety of my concealment spot. A momentary thunk, and we'd all go back to silence, waiting for each other to make a bold, daring move.

But the sound never materialized. Instead, it was making a graceful arc over the boulder, and directly onto my head. My amused stance on the situation did a complete heel turn, my muscles and the nerves controlling them snarled pure adrenaline as I jerked sideways, barely avoiding the fatal blow of the projectile as it collided with the ground. I didn't even comprehend the severity of the situation beforehand, my lizard brain literally tackled me off the wheel and took control itself. I watched as the miniature flames crisped to a halt, slowly putting themselves out.

Did he just...

He fucking did. I had thrown myself out of cover. My face compressed to an unrecognizable freak as I shot that look broadside, where there was no more rock and instead an arrow hurling towards me at great speeds among the fog. My brain persisted towards movement, I got my legs under control and scrambled backwards, in the direction of an area where the walls dominated. I wouldn't have to worry about arrows there.

The winds were too strong to calculate where an approaching arrow would end up at. From a distance, it looked like the projectile would strike my chest, but alas, only the rocky floor was affected by the brief disturbance. My legs blindly kicked away from the exposure, they were logically the last of my limbs to enter the safe zone. They were strained from all the abuse they had gotten since the helicopter crashed, they ached greatly as I got them under me and hobbled forward.

Sharp blades of rock nick my ankles as I proceed onwards, my wellbeing temporarily preserved from deadly arrows. They couldn't reach or have an effect on me while I was here, walls were finally back in my life. I was still vaguely aware of the possibility that they could make their way over here, but I'd be well on my way to the mines by the time they did. For now, safe was the most accurate word that described my situation right now.

Too bad it's relative.

It was a single tent, fit to house exactly one person. A bonfire churning nearby, providing warmth for the diseased figure perched near it. He didn't look dangerous, I could probably take him if he tried to fight me. Still, that didn't stop me from taking wary steps towards his general direction, better safe than sorry and all that.

"You ain't hurt none. Not in your soul. You and me gonna walk on Jordan, ain't we?"

Shit, it's still too dark to see anything beneath my legs. I produced the lantern from my waist and let it illuminate the area with its brilliant clarity. My 'friend' seemed disturbed by the sudden change in brightness, but only cast one glance towards me before diverting his attention back to the pile of innards he was humping. Keep on doing that, buddy.

I think it was time to leave. There was a ledge leading away from this camp, most likely moving further along the abyss. I wasn't too keen on having arrows shot at me again, not with the amount of close calls I had with them. It was only a matter of time until Laird hit his target, and I know absolutely nothing about dealing with an arrow lodged inside your muscles. Because of that, it was a good idea to grab the roll of bandage stashed inside the tent. It went right into my jacket, near the vacant pocket where any batteries I found would go to. The last one I found was still in my possession, but I was going to need more if I wanted to survive.

Up that ledge, and to Lynn. Should be easy. My fingers were less than sore when they gripped the stone edge, a sure sign that things were starting to look up. My worries were rapidly being proven wrong, especially the one about my death being near. Not to brag, but most people on this planet couldn't have survived this far. Even if I died, I would know that I went out as a survivor. That alone was an achievement in itself.

The path branched to the left, I took notice in the lack of activity as I hauled myself up. The walls were absent of any blood, gore, or individuals that would make an outsider to this place go "what the fuck."

It also led back to the exposed platforms, fully naked to the awash sight of the abyss. If Laird was still over there, I'd have a new array of arrows shot after my ass, at least until I found another hiding place to bunk down at. My steps ahead were soft, but also timid. I could see a set of boulders lining the edge of the ravine, they would provide me with enough cover if I was to get spotted.

Little by little, more of the landscape was made available to my eyes. It seemed like they had left once they realized they couldn't see me anymore, probably off searching for a way to get across. Acceptable in my book, as long as he never actually found me. I used the thin trunk of a tree nearby as support, mainly to have something I was holding onto, just to satisfy my primal needs. The area looked clear, so to speak. But only at first. I instantly realized my mistake when a faint silhouette practically gathered into existence beyond the mist, and fired an amber projectile towards my position.

My lantern! I didn't turn it off, fuck! My ears nearly missed the sharp crack in soil, the arrow whizzed right past my head and struck something behind me. I lunged forward with the help of adrenaline channeling through my veins, kicking towards the nearest boulder in the hopes that it would protect me from the incoming arrows. My ribs ached once more as I pressed my back against stone, my figure finally back in safety again.

...Or not! The thing was too low to fully conceal my body, I had realized too late before flames flew past my exposed head, stopping their rapid momentum at the stone wall with a definite snap. Had to hide, find somewhere else! I jerked sideways and clawed up to my feet, that eerie static filling in my ears again. I pushed around the corner and sprang up the ledge, my lungs discharging pure torment. A final breakthrough, and I was finally up and away from Laird and his arrow buddies. I was safe behind this boulder, but I still peered from the edge of the boulder to see if they were really gone. I wasn't making that mistake again.

I think they are. No discernible silhouettes stood out among the heavy fog, and even if it was to be temporary, I had escaped them once more.

What the hell is this? It's like I was going through some sort of obstacle course. My patience was running low, I had to get away from this place. I ducked down and squeezed myself through the meek obstruction created by a knocked over tree log. Down below were massive rocks waiting to splinter the feet of anyone daring enough to step on them, and I was falling onto them.

I found myself coughing as my boots slammed hard into the ground, raising ash and all sorts of stenches into the air. My legs were still a little wobbly from the marathons I had to endure in order to evade Marta. The fact that I hadn't seen her since I left Temple Gate indicated the citizens were not the sort who thrived on violence. Instead, they were opportunistic hunters, which allowed to survive in the short term, but fail miserably long term...

"HEAL ME!"

I snatched my machete from my waist and respectfully greeted the diseased creature attempting to ambush me from behind. He was packing a bit more force than I expected, I managed to sink my machete right into his heart, and promptly get toppled to the ground with the momentum of his corpse.

Fuck! My vision dipped and rose as my head collided with the stone, I couldn't tell if it was from the concussion or the sour reek stemming from the corpse right on top of me. I wasted little time before I heaved him over to the side, his limp figure rolling a few times before ceasing movement.

My machete. Where is it? A momentary dash of panic struck as I scrambled for my only defense in this hellhole, scrambling my hands around the gravel until I found it dangling right over the edge.

God, that was close. I was beginning to value my machete as much as my camera and lantern, and that said a lot. I couldn't say the same about the lantern, but me and my camera had gone through some hardships together, and this thing catched up to that reputation in just one night. I gave one last look at my attacker as he lay there motionless, one more corpse added to the pile. Ahead, I suppose. I must be closing in on the mines by now, won't be too long until I knock on Val's doorstep and politely ask Lynn back. I chuckled, the thought of being innocent in this place seemed unthinkable.

"Scalled Messiah, blessed of flesh!"

What... the hell? The voice was very close, and right behind me. I felt my blood solidify, and every part of me knew how much I fucked up. I didn't even need to turn around, I strapped my machete back to my waist and took off towards the incline. Animated footsteps soon picked up behind my heels, my pursuer took a fucking machete to the heart, and he wasn't dead, and able to run?!

My boots were getting stuck in rocks and bushes, it was impossible to keep a straight pace in this cliff! I slipped left once my path changed direction, he was hounding after me on four legs. I need someplace to hide, someplace to lose track of him and lock him away from my mind.

I yelped and skid right once I felt his hand snatch my collar, he faltered with the sudden change in direction and bit the ground, buying me some time as I teared away, eager to shake him off my trail.

But this place just couldn't let me have my way for once. I halted into a standstill, my arms wavering back and forth in a desperate attempt to pull away from the edge. My boots stopped dead in their tracks, snapping pieces of dirt off the soil and sending them tumbling down the precarious slope.

Shit! I moved back once I found the footing I wanted, the sudden obstacle had shocked me to the point where I forgot my pursuer was still on my tail. His determined footsteps grew louder and louder, it was too late to make a decision now. In a last ditch attempt, I clenched my less wounded hand into a fist and threw it backwards, roaring with every instinct in me to preserve my life.

My blood ran ice cold as I saw my fist just shoot past his head. The only thing I could do was simply watch as he tackled me off the edge, sending us both descending down the incline with him on top.

I felt my body disintegrate every time we bumped into a rock, I tried to struggle off his tight grip around my torso but our current situation prevented me from doing anything worthwhile. I snapped my eyes open to see his bloodthirsty teeth about to dig into my neck, his face resembling a zombie about to turn me into one of them, dead and rotting.

He hissed and backed off once my fist connected with his chin, decaying blood dripping onto my jacket as another rock jerked my back. He used this brief opportunity to sock me in the nose and thrust his teeth at my neck yet again. I must've seized his neck just in time, our eyes were literally an inch apart from each other, my petrified expression visible in his eyes' reflection.

We were full on wrestling with each other, his lustful screeching echoed in my mind as he thrashed for my flesh, while my fingers were locked deep in his windpipe. He stopped control on his legs once he realized I was trying to strangle him to death, and gave me enough leverage to toss him off me and turn the tables.

I was now on top of him, and in control.

His wails reached throat shattering levels as I tightened my choke on his neck, pulling my head back as he tried to reach for my face, letting his arms grab only air as they flailed around aimlessly. I was fucking resolute on killing this guy, his cries for help only brought me the satisfaction of revenge and payback for what his kind did to me.

But before I could turn his body into a lifeless shell, I caught a brief glimpse of something rapidly drawing near. With the realization that we had been riding down this slope for a while, I strain my head up to find death staring me right in the face.

Barbed wire!

My body goes rigid, muscles lock into place and brace for the painful impact, the last thing I remember is the thought of how much I screwed up. A sound tears out of my throat as I slam right into the thick of the barbs, a colossal amount of blood gushing out of my body. The immense pain instantly sizzles throughout me like a wild fire, I grit my teeth and try to produce some sort of noise, but all that comes out is blood. Gurgling is all I can manage.

Oh god. I turn my head downwards to take a look at my state, and gawk at the amount of punishment my clothes and body had just taken. I was suspended in the air by the barbs dug into my left ankle and shoulders, while both of my arms were in the same predicament. I tried to wrench them free, but only exposed the deep gashes formed by the jagged blades.

My whole body, every inch of it blazes. It barely hits me that my pursuer had also sustained severe injuries from the barbed fence, with his head partially cracked apart and his skull exposed, I was now certain he was dead. I was broken enough to not care anymore. He was just another corpse, added to the pile. Nobody cares about the fallen, they just see them as numbers and move on with their lives, pretend to care while they just don't want to look heartless in front of others. Nobody cared about her death except me, and I was brushed aside when I pointed it out.

I'm sorry, Jessica.

"I heard something. Nick, there!"

My ribs pull back against the weight of the barbs, crimson red seeps into the wiring as I thrash in a wild attempt to break free. Oh no no no no no! Laird. They're back, and at the worst possible time! I'm stuck here like a fucking pig, I feel my resolve rapidly diminish as the clunking of Nick's lantern goes clearer to my ears. My doom was fast approaching, whether it was them who kill me or something else...

It was nearly here.

That familiar stench of his seeps back into my bloody nose, my nerves are quaking as I stare up at the inseparable duo emerge out the mist, my body in too much pain to properly process the events unfolding. Laird doesn't say anything, no more religious talk or babbling on about my status as their messiah. But he smiles, and eyes me with such lust that I feel like my crucifixion was just the beginning.

"We have you. It's okay. Shhhh, we have you."

My bones splinter as Nick seizes me around the torso and rips me off the barbed fence like a stuffed toy, all the nerves up and down my spine are either shredded or unresponsive. He gives me no time to open my mouth, I yowl as he hurls me towards a wooden casket, dust kicked up as I topple right into it.

"The Gospel isn't done yet. You will record your own resurrection. You will complete your Gospel."

Huh?! My resurrection? My brain begs for escape, action, but its subordinates are out of gas. My body felt like a steamy puddle, my fingers scrape against the wood as I analyze their every move, every bit of hope I had collected over the past few hours now dust.

Nick's posture looks the same since that damned moment where I first saw him. Cold and unfeeling. He doesn't mutter a single word as he flings the door shut on my face, the interior scent of unswept dust and rotten flesh is drowned by copper in a second. I was losing significant amounts of blood, and I couldn't reach my bandages due to how cramped this casket was. Just what the hell was their intention with this?

A somewhat welcoming breeze seeps through a thin crack formed on the casket. I can see out, not too well but enough to make out the night sky. Buzzing in my ears, head. It returns as Nick appears in my improvised viewing space, hoisting up the wooden container and jerking it back and forth to get a better grip on it. I smash my head on something sharp, warm liquid oozing out my temple and increasing the mechanical buzzing. It's nothing, Blake. Walk it off.

We're moving. I shudder as Nick recedes from view and carries me to somewhere I didn't particularly fancy going to. I still didn't get the memo, just why the fuck am I in this thing? Don't they want to eat me?

"Yes! Yes. We return him to the Way of Sorrows. His tomb is waiting."

My tomb is waiting? My tomb. What is he...?

 _ **Ready the tomb! Our messiah has fallen at last!**_

 _ **He will be nailed to a cross, and buried...**_

Nailed to a cross and buried. This wooden casket I'm in. Of course.

This is my coffin.

"Take him. And when he rises, we all will have our communion."

I'm sliding on my shoulder as Nick jerks the coffin once more, muscles wobbling under my skin jello. It's like the air becomes heavier the more I panic, but not panicking seems like a delusion at this point.

My heart was burning, practically on fire. Words couldn't express how terrified I was of getting buried alive. To my knowledge, claustrophobia goes right out the window when you're stuck under several pounds of soil.

My bones tremble as the moonlight coming from the crack above fades away. I lay there, blinking at the dark and Nick's labored breathing, every little bump and pause is impossible to go unnoticed. My left ankle struggles to hold me up, all the tremors hacking away the frayed nerves. My other ankle is left with all the heavy work.

Attempting to get out wasn't an option either, it was nigh impossible with the angle I was lodged in. Maybe I could carve a hole for me to get out with my machete, but the casket needed to be still first before I could reach-

He drops the coffin.

I'm in a momentary daze, the container plummets down into the depths of whatever tomb they had dug for me. I snap back into my senses as the casket halts solid, the night sky once again seeping its calming light through the crack. My surroundings become vague, I choke on the dust knocked off my jacket, all I can think about is escape, back in the arms of Lynn. Feeling her warm skin touch mine, that sweet face she gives me when she's happy. I would give everything to make sure she makes it out of here in one piece.

"We're close, Nick. Salvation is finally in our grasp!"

It begins. I hear Nick scoop up a large chunk of dirt on his shovel, his footsteps become audible and I flinch as the coffin vibrates with the slight added weight dumped on it, partially blocking my viewing crack in the process. Oh fuck!

"Don't. Please don't! PLEASE DON'T! Please..."

He doesn't even hesitate. I stifle a whimper as he continues unloading more dirt onto the coffin, my heart convulsing with each moan the container gave. He's not stopping. He's not fucking stopping! The sounds vanish, the light evaporates, the crack is now fully blocked by soil and gravel. However, I still feel the weight above increasing.

You crazy motherfuckers. Oh god. My lungs ache as they become unable to receive the amount of air they need, my eyes start scorching. I'm too exhausted, too hopeless. My limbs, where are they? I can't even move anymore. I'm falling asleep, or maybe dying. I can't tell them apart anymore, what's the difference? There's no sleep in this place, only death.

There's so much I wanted us to do together. Raise kids together, get old together, have fun together... I'm sorry, baby. I couldn't save you, I couldn't save myself. It's too late, I'm in too deep. Too deep.

We're in too deep.


	17. The Last Supper

**This novelization finally gets an update after 9 MONTHS. I may have took some hiatuses between here and there, nothing too major. This is a long chapter too, so that contributed to the wait. Enjoy.**

* * *

Lynn was always the big sister of our little trio. When Jessica... hanged herself, she was the only person other than me to cry about her death. She took it as a joke at first when I told her, but her degrading mental health was more than enough proof for her that she was capable of doing something like that. She thought of Jessica like her little sister, someone who she needed to look out for.

 _"I didn't think she would actually do it. I'm sorry, Blake. I'm so sorry. I should've been looking out for her, and now she's dead because of me!"_

 _"It's not your fault, Lynn. This is all on me."_

 _"Why? You didn't do anything Blake, you weren't there when she did it. None of us were. She died alone, and she felt no one would care about her."_

This coffin. How long have I been in this thing? It felt like hours, and my watch had shattered when I smashed into that barbed fence, rendering it useless.

 _"Lynn, I was-"_

 _"Just shut up Blake. I know you mean well, but you wouldn't understand. Even I don't understand fully."_

Oxygen's running out. Dark smog seeps into my skin and lungs, my lungs gasp for air, but I refuse. Vague memories of videos about how to escape a coffin run through my mind, I shouldn't inhale too deep, have to converve the oxygen. Not that it matters now. I'm going to die here. Prolonging the inevitable is all I've been doing ever since I awoke after the helicopter crash.

But... I didn't want to think like that. I need to think positive. Healthy thoughts. It's not over yet.

 _"Blake, come with me. The principal has some things he wants to discuss with you."_

Pain. That's all I can remember feeling these past hours. My feet ache from having to constantly run for my life, my shoulders are damn nearly fixed on the side of the casket, and my mind is fractured. I close my eyes and all I see is static. Endless and eternal. When will it stop? Or rather, will it ever stop?

 _"Blake, I was wondering... Will you always be my friend?_

All those memories, hidden away in the back of my mind all these years. How could I ignore them? How could I just go about my life without even recalling them for just one second?

 _"Of course, Jess. Our friendship is extremely valuable to me. I would never let you go."_

This place, is it my punishment? Or a blessing in disguise? Created to help me remember what happened on that day. Did she hang herself, or did she fall down the stairs? I'm not even sure, the only thing I remember is how stupid I was.

 _"It's funny you say that, someone said the exact same thing to me on the internet. All you want is to help me, yet not everyone shares the same view as you."_

My hand trembles, I'm trying to restrain it from punching the coffin. I can't lose my cool. I can't give up. I need to escape, break free. I made a promise.

 _"You can't make everyone like you, Jessica. It's just not how it works."_

I'm suffocating. My lungs are fighting tooth and nail for oxygen, a point will come where the dust outweighs the oxygen, and will bury me in the confines of death.

 _"I know. I just..."_

Escape. I need to escape. For her.

 _"I just want all of this to be over."_

I close my eyes again, no difference in brightness as compared to when they're open. It's too dark, I need to see.

 _"Can you promise to never let go of me? Even when we go to heaven?"_

I turn to my pouch and reach for the lock, but its proximity to the door makes it impossible for me to fit my hand through. I still have a spare battery in my jacket, I can use that for my camera if I manage to get out. The lantern will have to do for now.

 _"Yes, I promise."_

My face visibly scrunches up as white brilliance envelopes the cramped space, everything in my field of view brightly lit and detailed. The first thing my eyes wander to is the crack on the door I peeked through when I was getting carried here. On top of it was several feet of dirt and gravel eager to crush this fragile piece of wood and me along with it.

Laird and Nick. Those fuckers caused me more trouble than anyone else in this fucking place. Ever since I woke up from the crash, I've been the selected candidate for this murderous... trauma conga line. Crucified but somehow got away? Here, slam into this fence peppered with pointy spikes! And as if that wasn't enough, have them pull you free and bury you alive!

Crackbrained cultist fucks. I want to see both of them die a horrible death. Give me a crowbar and some time with their corpses, and I'll feel a lot better. A whole lot better.

The scent inside the coffin was despicable, it was my second prime motivator for trying to break my way out of here. My options and time were limited, either I would devise myself a way out, or die from the lack of air and prove Laird falsely right.

And no, punching my way out wasn't an option. Nick made sure that wouldn't happen thanks to his hammer and nails, and even if he didn't, I wasn't strong enough to bust through wood with my bare fists.

Instead, I put weight on my arm and strained towards my machete, grasping the handle tight and bringing it up to my chest. My plan was to lengthen the crack on the casket I was peeking out of earlier and then crawl up to the surface. I know, sounds messy but I wasn't getting myself out unless I made physical contact with soil.

Before enacting this very risky and uncertain plan, I took the time to inspect the fragility of the door I was going to cut up with the machete. It looked sturdier than it actually was, it couldn't be thicker than a few centimeters, but then it was also holding up a presumably fair amount of dirt on its back. I wasn't sure how deep they tossed me, but it can't be that deep. Once I cut myself a hole, I'll need to hold my breath until I reach fresh air. I've had practice underwater, but underground was my first rodeo. I trust myself this time, for once.

Oh fuck, here I go.

I guided my hand along the edges of the crack, looking for a weak spot. If I cut a circle around it, it'll be faster to get myself out before the coffin gets flooded. With that in mind, I wasted no more oxygen and sunk the machete into the door. Almost instantly the added weight of the dirt above hampered the speed of how fast I would carve the circle, which could decide if I live or die.

With a heavy grunt, my machete sheared around the crack in a circular motion, looping over to the other side of the edge where it would create a nice hole for me to fit through. I had my doubts about this plan, it wasn't exactly tested or seen before, but a little mix of insanity and risk taking was needed if you wanted to survive in this place.

Okay, no turning back now. With a final thrust, I snipped the last inch of wood and put the machete back on my waist. I was determined to make it out of here. Alll I needed to do was remove the wooden circle and crawl back up to the surface.

I took hold of the circular incision by its crack, my strength unwavering, and tore it free from its wooden frame. My mind snapped to rapid action as the tons of overhead dirt swarmed the confined space without delay, scrambling to get my legs under me. I had a better chance of reaching the surface if I launched myself first.

I had only moments to prepare. I quickly pushed the wooden circle out of the way, braced my knees for the jump, and closed my eyes. I also made sure that my camera was locked tight in the pouch, I couldn't risk a malfunction when it turned out dirt had gotten in it. I had one last obstacle between me and the surface, and I sure as hell wasn't stopping now. I drew in a long, deep breath, knowing that it could be my last one.

All I felt was terror when I leaped up to the soil, I had severely underestimated how terrifying this would be. I had to clamp my eyes shut like a trap or I'd go blind, it felt like I was being crushed in all directions, and I had no way to supply oxygen to my laboring limbs. My legs kicked out blindly under me, my arms shoving away the grime and soot. Although I was sure that I was ascending, my rapidly diminishing lungs shouted at my brain to take in air, but I stopped it from opening my mouth at the last second.

I must be nearing the surface, at least I fucking hope I am. They couldn't have buried me that deep, unless they expect their messiah to be able to hold his breath for 5 minutes. My resolve was stubborn, and tenacious. I resumed my crawl, sensing the pressure decreasing. I had to be close now.

My oxygen was almost depleted, and soon my strength would fade away. I thought I had reached my doom for good, but my arms dug through the final layer of dirt and breached through to the surface. Words couldn't express how satisfying it felt to receive fresh air to my skin after being stuck down there, in a cramped coffin reeking of rot and copper.

Too soon to celebrate, my head was still under the surface. My muscles practically ruptured as I hauled the rest of myself out from underground, my head naturally up first. It felt like I had ascended to heaven, I got knocked into a haze as a stunning gust of air hit me straight in the face. I inhaled, and my body nearly rejuvenated down to the last cell.

Bliss.

I gave a powerful groan, and dislodged my legs from the dirt. I was up and on my feet, barely. I attempted a step forward, exhaustion too much for my weary legs as I collapsed back down.

Oh fuck. Just how long have I been down there? I strained towards my watch, but of course the fucking thing shattered when Nick chucked me to the depths of hell. I could no longer tell the time.

I just need a second, catch my breath before moving onwards, hopefully out of this forest. My ears were ringing, and even though I successfully escaped my own grave, I felt like absolute dogshit, both physically and mentally. I wanted out, desperately. I wasn't sure how much more I could take this, being a punching bag, my life dangled above me like a carrot on a stick.

At least Laird and Nick weren't around. They were likely waiting back at the village for their meal, their last supper. I know I said it before and then got buried alive, but I wasn't getting caught again. No matter what the situation entailed, I was NOT getting eaten and digested.

My motor functions had returned to normal somewhat. I picked myself up, albeit with difficulty, my legs still a bit wobbly. The area they buried me in was open, and fairly dark, so my lantern would prove useless. I shut it off and brought up my camera, flipping the visor open and looking through. The battery inside had lasted quite a while, but alas, its time was up. I had one last battery left on me, I removed the old one out of its slot, dropping it to the ground and inserting the fresh one.

I fired up the night vision, and was met with the usual sight of trees and weeds dotted around the landscape. I turned around, checking to see where exactly I surfaced from. It was pretty apparent, a shovel was set anchored to the soil, which had the signs of a certain someone clawing at it. I still couldn't believe I got out of that coffin alive, there was so many ways that plan could've gone wrong.

Dawn was fast approaching, I needed to hustle before too long. Alongside the shovel was an open satchel, inside was a flashlight with two batteries next to it. I had no interest in the flashlight, but the batteries were definitely getting bagged. I didn't know how dark the mine building was going to be, but I sure as hell needed any batteries I could get once I entered the mines.

"Your sacred blood, our secret... Please."

The voice sounded close. I was mildly spooked, my machete slipped into my hands as I directed the camera towards the source. I didn't care if the incoming menace didn't mean any harm, I was allowed self defense if they made even the slightest bit of movement towards me.

It was another scalled member. His body was covered in scars and defects down to his toes, and I didn't think his legs functioned anymore. He was of no meaningful threat, but I still needed to watch out in case he could crawl.

More importantly, I needed a way forward. This forest was all kinds of confusing to navigate, and now I was forcibly detoured from my original path. It might take a while, but I needed to scout around and look for a signpost, a definite path towards the mines.

I started behind the scarred cultist, trekking towards the endless vegetation in hopes of a way out. I kept reminding myself what my goals were, reiterating them in my mind like a broken record. The truth is, I was scared. Scared for what might come next, scared for what might happen to me, and to Jessica. It felt like my sanity was being ripped apart the longer I spent time in this hellish corner of the world, any hope of being normal after this was utterly snuffed out long ago. There would be no difference between me and the cultists after this, if I lived.

Wait a minute. Did I say Jessica instead of Lynn? Her name is Lynn, my wife.

The grass somewhat diminished as I picked out a set of barbed wire beyond the mist, I grimaced at the foul scent of rotten flesh settling back into my nose. I thought I would've been fully accustomed to it at this stage, but it wasn't enough of a deterrent to keep me from making my way towards there.

The barbs were hoisted tight between a pair of trees, behind it was a slope heading up, too steep for me to scale it. At the lowest wire was a member deceased, his head split in two by something forceful, likely he was riding down the slope and didn't see the barbed wire before it was too late.

It wasn't until I examined the corpse more closely that I realized he was the pursuer I was wrestling back at the ravine, before we both slammed into these barbs. I swayed my gaze towards the barbs, chunks of my goddamn skin dangling loose by some of them. I shuddered when I recalled the recent memories. The pain, the trauma, the terror...

No. They were all behind me now, nothing more than bad memories. I need to recollect myself.

 **Recording**

"Pieces of my skin stuck in the barbs. It was too late to hold her up, and I was just a kid. I was oblivious."

I didn't know why I kept recording, the chances of escaping this region with both my body and sanity was extremely slim, but it felt good. I was coping in my own strange cameraman way, and I hoped it would be sufficient until I rescued Lynn.

Well, I wasn't progressing through here, that was for sure. I had to head back to the burial site, try another way. Though I didn't want to admit it, I was so fucking lost. I hadn't covered any real ground towards the mines since I fell down the bridge, I had been reduced to just another lunatic hallucinating in the woods.

"Suck these wounds clean."

He hadn't moved since I left, but I had this sneaking suspicion that he was going to jump me when I least expected it. I briefly considered putting him out of his misery, but decided that assaulting any deranged cult member was probably not a good idea, even if they were sick and malnourished.

I could try the opposite way this time, away from the barbed wire. I picked up walking speed as I pressed forward, making strides whenever a rock or a bush blocked my path. I had to keep my sense of direction, especially in this forest. I couldn't afford to get lost for a long period of time, or everything I've been through for her will be for naught. Even the thought made me tremble in fear, the possibility that the hell I've endured throughout this night will not matter, and I'll become another nameless corpse added to the endless pile.

Another coffin. My legs halt as I stiffen the grip on the camera, mildly revolted by the scarred corpse stuffed inside. He wasn't buried like me, the lid wasn't even closed. It didn't make any sense why they would do this to him specifically, when there were dozens more rotting members to go around.

I adjusted the hold on my camcorder as I took in the surroundings of his coffin, looking for some sort of clue. My demand was somewhat granted as I noticed another satchel abandoned near the corpse, a piece of paper stored inside. It slipped into my grasp without much effort, I directed the night vision towards it as I read the contents.

 _This here's my brother, broken and killed by the tyrant Laird and his mount Nick, for wine he spilled because of his missing fingers and no real fault of his own. It is terrible unjust and I hope a merciful God treats him better._

It seems that some of his followers don't particularly fancy Laird and his crude ruling methods. I snap a picture of the note before placing it back in the satchel, my sick curiosity satisfied. I couldn't hope to comprehend the sheer number of deceased in this place, the body count was too high, and I had this ugly feeling in my gut that fate had planned something far worse for me.

Push away the delusions, push them out your thoughts.

I need to keep moving. Some distance ahead from the coffin stood a regular fence held together by tie beams, likely separating another village from the wilderness. I really didn't want any business with the scalled anymore, but I didn't have the luxury of choosing which way to go. I had thrown myself into danger many times without regard for my own life, what was one more?

There was no barbed wire at the top, which could block a possible climb, but I found more promise in the gap under the fence that had been shoveled away. It seemed large enough for me to crawl through, barring any possible traps set specifically to catch me and devour my flesh.

No, they weren't that methodical. I shook that thought off as I dug away some of the dirt, slipping under and grunting as my knees lifted me back up. I could tell I was back in scalled territory, several tents were stationed near a sizzling campfire, all of them seemingly vacant of any habitants. My microphones supported this theory as I scanned the area with them, the sounds only spiking up when I passed the flames.

I should search the tents, look for supplies. I had no battery problem right now, but bandages were a vital resource I was lacking. I started with the biggest tent to my right, crouching and shifting inside. There was a sleeping bag that had been torn apart, it looked like someone clawed at it while they were sleeping. Next to it was a flashlight I reckoned to be empty, but there was a spare battery alongside that I quickly snatched up. Can't have too many batteries I suppose.

Fuck, no bandages in here. The other tents didn't look like they held anything of value either, I'd continue my search elsewhere. Fresh blood sloshed under my feet as I slipped out the tent, my camcorder clunking as I switched out batteries. It wasn't completely used up, but I felt safer with a fully powered up camera in my trembling hands.

I was ready to leave, but a piece of paper occupying some sort of makeshift bible stand caught my attention before I could. It was another gospel, but Knoth clearly wasn't the one who wrote it, the handwriting wasn't his.

 **Gospel of the Scalled Christ**

 _ **1-**_ Rejoice greatly, O you scalled, you afflicted with boils and sores, all you whose sex cracks and weeps, your baptist comes to you astride a donkey in the shape of a man.

 _ **2-**_ That Baptist, proportioned as a child in all but the tools of a man, and therefore best beloved of the Prophet Sullivan Knoth.

 _ **3-**_ And Knoth said unto Laird, what desirest thou in your wretchedness?

 _ **4-**_ And Laird said: I desire to behold the things which The New Ezekiel saw.

 _ **5-**_ And Knoth said: Yea, thine mind is too tight an arbor for the girth of the Lord's message, and would split at its penetration; thou shall knowest only your own salvation.

 _ **6-**_ And Laird said: Yea, I believe all the words of my father.

 _ **7-**_ And Knoth cries: Hosanna in the highest! As thou love me, thou art blessed, and you shall behold the things which thou has desired.

 _ **8-**_ And Laird spoke: I see the heavens open! I see fly smoke in the sky, a cloud of insects bearing down a man, full grown yet virginal, most beautiful and fair above even the beauty of women.

 _ **9-**_ And I looked and new I beheld the Redeemer of the Scalled, of who Ezekiel had spoken.

 _ **10-**_ And Ezekiel spake unto Laird again, saying: Look! The Lamb ministers the children of diseased cocks and festered wombs. And I beheld the multitudes who were sick, and who were afflicted with devils and unclean spirits, who would be healed by the power of the Lamb of God.

 _ **11-**_ And I, Laird, saw that he was lifted up upon the cross and slain for those whose lust delivered them to sin, and whose sin delivered them to lust.

 _ **12-**_ And as he hangs, there will be an abundance of milk and wine, such that butter and distilled liquor shall every one eat that is left in the land.

 _ **13-**_ And they shall proclaim the glory of Laird, who leads them to salvation.

 _ **14-**_ And when he gives the ghost and his immaculate flesh hangs dead upon the tree, they shall pull him free of the thorns and bury him by mattock in the earth.

 _ **15-**_ And the Scalled shall say: we are weary and we are wretched for our hearts are ravaged by sin, so that the glorious Laird will must drive them by tongue and lash and cock and remind them: it is a small thing to wear men, but will ye weary my God also.

 _ **16-**_ And they shall proclaim the glory of Laird, who leads them to salvation.

 _ **17-**_ And the Scalled Messiah shall rise from the grave, conquering sickness and conquering death, and those afflicted shall call him Immanuel.

 _ **18-**_ And the Scalled Messiah shall say: this is my flesh, eat of it and be healed. Whoever eats of my flesh shall have eternal life.

 _ **19-**_ And they shall proclaim the glory of Laird, who lead them to salvation.

So this was the gospel Laird talked about fulfilling, the whole reason he was obsessed with me. It sounded like they'd been waiting for a messiah for a very long time, maybe even decades. To be honest, I actually felt bad for them. Knoth fed them lies, promising them a false path to salvation instead of just giving them his surplus of penicillin.

If I had the chance, I mean legitimately had the chance to kill him without immediate consequences, I'd do it without thinking twice.

Okay, back on the bible stand you go. I didn't forget to take a picture before resuming my path, I still had some ways to go until I reached the mines, but I should be out of this forest soon, which was comforting.

I'm focusing on my footsteps again, making sure they were the only ones in the area. How easy would it be to hear someone walking barefoot around here? I urge myself to stop, to not stay in my head too long and contemplate these thoughts, but it was my only sanctuary from the madness, the horror, the insanity. I needed to stay sane.

Was going mad the only way to stay sane in this place?

I flinch backwards as a sudden shriek rips through the air, its location unknown but not far. Was there another threat in these woods I should be afraid of? I've spent the whole fucking night being terrified, I'm pretty sure I could handle one more religious mutant.

It was probably just a cultist hallucinating. I set my mind back on the situation at hand, hopping over a fallen tree as the path extended even more, towards chanting scalled visible behind a fence. I couldn't make out what they were saying, but I could see the thing they were gathered around.

Jessica. Hung by a rope, right there.

 **Recording**

"She hanged herself before I could stop her. Wait no, she didn't. She was... That's not a she."

That wasn't her. I blinked, and saw that it was just another cultist. Fuck. She was gone, I knew she was gone but something deep in my mind told me otherwise. It's like we were battling for control.

"As a cross section of a sphere would make a circle, so the cross section of this creature would make a man."

I hated constantly reminding myself this, but keep moving. I had no intention of climbing over the fence, can't make it to Lynn if I'm eaten. Instead, I opted for the ascending pathway to my left, up some rock platforms to higher ground. The winds somewhat picked up as I moved up the ledges, my hands still throbbed whenever I put pressure on them, but they'd hold in the meantime.

The path above stretched forward yet again, away from the rotting corpses of scalled territory. The air had started to become invigorating, and I began to wonder if I was really leaving this forest behind. To be frank, I hadn't breathed fresh air since I fell down that railroad bridge. There were so many corpses around every corner, it's no wonder the air was polluted.

The beaten track was decorated with all kinds of plant life. I winced back as something got tangled in my leg, the cactus tore a piece of fabric off my pants, but I had pulled free. My outfit was already beaten all to hell, an extra hole was insignificant.

Some meager distance later, the path had finally concluded, revealing a slope descending towards a precipice. Nothing beyond it was visible, I'd need to take a closer look. I secured the camera in its pack, made sure it wouldn't go flying down the cliffside. It probably wouldn't, but caution was to be taken when it came to my valued belongings.

I placed one foot on the slope, braced it on the dirt, then put the other one down. My back grated against the rocks as I was taken down, nearly off the edge before I stopped myself short. My knees ached, but I ignored it like usual as I hoisted myself up, my attention more preoccupied on the landscape set before me.

I couldn't believe it. I was almost out. A canyon loomed forth, its towering walls embed just below the night sky. Between its dominating confines, a river gushed its rippling water into a lake, an area where none of the cults had any influence over, I think. Knoth's cult occupied the town, while Val's rebellion was down in the mines. I'd be safe there.

As for the scalled, the precipice I was standing on marked the end of their territory. If I could find a way down, Laird and Nick would be crossed off the list of people who posed a threat to my survival.

There's no way I'll survive the fall, gotta find some other means of getting down. The most apparent path I could take was a wooden shack to my right, the supports below anchored it to the cliff, while an empty window let the warm light outside. Maybe there'd be some sort of map, or directions inside. I could check, only if there wasn't a gaping chasm separating me from the shack.

Okay, how the fuck do I get inside? Only the window presented some sort of entryway, but I was quite leery to make the jump. There were a multitude of ways I could fuck this up, from misjudging the distance, to straight up missing the window and crashing against the wall before I plummeted to my death.

I looked, for some sort of alternative path, but the damn window seemed to be my only choice. I could clear it over the fissure no problem, but I wasn't sure my hands were stable enough to handle such an impact. I needed a moment to myself before I jumped, primarily to secure the camera yet again before I tried anything risky. I made sure the bandages around my hands weren't slippery, but the blood seemed to have dried, so I wouldn't lose my grip while dangling off the window.

Here we go, the moment of truth. I put some distance between myself and the edge, adjusted my glasses, then lunged forward and threw myself right over the chasm.

I hit the wooden frame with more force than intended, a grunt expelled from my throat as I fought for a stable grip, my boots thrashed against the wall as I latched firmly on the window. I wouldn't let go, I couldn't let go! I was not dying here, dammit! My fingers crushed into timber, I threw one arm over the window and used it to hoist the other one up. I can feel my ribs protesting as I haul myself up the wooden frame, stumbling forward into the shack and nearly collapsing before my arm grabs onto a wooden pallet.

It's okay, you're fine. Walk it off.

It's not long before I regain my strength and push away from the wooden pallet, my attention now on what this shed contained, and if it held anything useful. The left wall was littered with a multitude of junk and scraps, probably trashed whatever they couldn't use here.

Nothing helpful. I turned towards the other wall, this one I found a bit more intriguing. Some sort of pulley system, its rope cut and fixed to the ceiling above a floor hatch. I made sure my footing was stable before peering below the gap, my eyes picked out several wooden boats docked to a boardwalk, anchored against the harsh current.

Shit, it's too high up. I'll just break my legs and give the fish a free meal. I couldn't use the rope either, some motherfucker had severed most of it, and I briefly wondered if Laird was the mastermind culprit behind this. He knew I would find this shack and try to get down, the bastard wasn't letting me go until he gave his life to the cause, and I sure as hell wasn't letting him catch me again. There was no crucifixion, or burial left. He was going to gut me on the spot and feast on my flesh.

The rope, I just need a rope. Don't think about that. I had no idea where it could be. It could be on Nick, it could be on any of them. It'd take hours to search and find it, but I will find it, or look for another way down. I had come this far, nothing could stop me now.

The door was my only way outside, an empty panel above it for some bizarre reason. There was no doubt in my mind that it led back to the village, and as much as I didn't like the idea of willingly throwing myself in danger, I knew they were the ones who had the rope.

Before I left, I noticed a letter sitting atop a chair, among the salvage decorating this part of the shed. I reached forward and yanked the paper into my grasp, sifting through the writing with care.

 _Sorry I had to take the rope from off this pulley because I need it to climb to heaven. Ha ha. If that bloated Ezekiel won't give you no more rope you can cut me down and take it back cause I_ _expect_ _I'll be done with it._

Of course. The answer was right in front of my face! The guy I saw, just back at the fence. He hung himself with a fucking rope! He's the one who wrote this. Would've been a good thing if I saw this before I jumped in, can't go back out the window. Fuck, I need to find him again. I waited until my breathing had calmed somewhat, and rattled the doorknob.

It was locked, because why wouldn't it be? It seemed that the opening above the locked door I dismissed earlier was going to be my saving grace. I didn't mind though, I had been running around this place constantly since the crash. Only a mild annoyance, I told myself. They were adding up fast, but my body seemed to be pushing on despite all the unjust punishment it had received.

Time was my true enemy in this place, the only adversary I couldn't outrun. My ribs crinkled as I dragged myself over the empty panel, my landing none too graceful against the floorboards rasping under the sudden weight. The canyon blocked off a significant chunk of moonlight, rendering me almost blind to my new surroundings. The only thing I could somewhat make out was the humanoid shape partially illuminated by a campfire, perched motionless above a wooden staircase.

"Messiah. The miracle. The host is ready!"

Goddamnit! By the time I had the camera back up, the scalled member had already departed, certainly back to the village where he was expected to bring the news of my long awaited arrival. It seemed that my theory was correct, they did know I'd find this shed and climb up the panel. How long was he standing there? I was only more doomed if they knew I needed a rope, I wouldn't stand a chance if Laird thought ahead and retrieved it from the hanging corpse.

"He has risen from the tomb. We're saved! Laird!"

I don't have much time. I need to be back here before Laird arrives, or I won't be back here at all. The town must be somewhere nearby, I could've followed the cultist if he hadn't left too quickly. I did my best to reduce the noise my boots made as I climbed the stairs, but came down hard when the last step collapsed under my foot. I barely restrained myself from swearing as my knee smashed against the barrels underneath, but I quickly recovered from the shock and pulled my leg free. At this point I didn't even care.

As I turned right, the pathway extended towards a wooden pole, hooked to it was a lantern. I guess you could call it a makeshift lamp post, however dumb it sounded. Something like that meant civilization, right? My assumption turned correct, several wooden structures surfaced from the mist as I neared the light source, I was a lot closer to the town than I thought I was.

"Messiah is ripe. He is ripe to be ate!"

Just when would he shut up? The village seemed to be asleep, and I didn't want this opportunity taken from me. My eyes strained as I scanned the vicinity, but I returned to my mind without results. I knew the corpse was somewhere around here, I just didn't know where exactly it was. My anxiety increased tenfold as I heard someone knocking on a door, just ahead from my position. What the hell was that?

It's coming from the house. He's knocking on the doors, waking them up! I need to keep away from him, cut his line of sight. I made minimal noise as I slinked towards the wooden shack, and briefly peered through the window as I edged towards the corner. The noisy bastard had woken up the residents, they said something about salvation before answering the door.

He thinks I'm still back there. I slipped around the corner as the cultist showed them the way I came from, and without another word uttered, their excited footsteps hurried down that direction. The messenger had disposed of them for me, I shut off the microphones as he ran off to another direction, probably looking for another house. I kept along the wall, no footsteps of any kind in the area. Out of hearing range meant out of mind, I could proceed without worry.

I noted the increasing filth in the air as the path continued, towards an outhouse reeking of dung and piss. The sounds coming from there didn't exactly put me at ease, I didn't want to think about the grotesque imagery waiting for me to witness it, in all its glory.

I had to be close, the geography of this damn place was extremely confusing. The repugnant noises got stronger the more I neared the toilet. I think someone was crapping inside, or I was going even more insane. I needed to get past somehow, preferably without being seen. I was just so damn tired of being chased, it was only a matter of time until I'd get cornered somewhere and beaten to death.

I moved closer, and put a hand on my forehead. I'll look inside the outhouse and the general area. If I'm alone, advance. If I'm not, sneak past them. That sounded reassuring, and that was great for my sanity. I need positivity, healthy thoughts.

But I couldn't ignore what I was hearing. There was definitely someone inside. My suspicions were confirmed as I peered around the side, and made eye contact with the defecating person hunched above the toilet, if you could even call it that. My brain urged me to run, but I only held still as he did the same, no sign of hostility in his eyes. He stared at me with indifference, it didn't seem like he was bothered by my presence, or cared that I was his 'cure.'

Small miracles come through, he wasn't hostile. He continued to watch me as I backed away, I couldn't tell if he really didn't care, or was just too constipated to give chase. Either way, I didn't want to be anywhere near him when he finished.

My head whirled back as I heard someone crying from right behind me, their sudden voice drilled through my head like a needle. Calm down, it's just another resident. She was inside a house, out of sight and out of mind. I didn't need to enter, much less even stand around here. My ability to pity others in this place was long gone.

I gave a final glance towards the cultist using the outhouse, just to make sure he wasn't trying anything. I didn't feel comfortable with my back exposed to him, but that was honestly the least of my worries. Where was Laird? I hadn't seen him yet, and he should've been the first motherfucker to greet me outside that shed. Did he think I was still buried underground? I needed him distracted, no doubt, but his absence was equally as unnerving compared to his presence. I have to hurry.

Damn this fog, it was interfering with the range of the night vision. I could turn on the microphones, but it would just eat up the battery even more. I kept my eyes fixed on the visor as I powered through the darkness, another part of the village soon visible behind the engulfing mist. There was an unused well surrounded by several scalled housing, my last 'incident' with one of them back at Temple Gate was more than enough reason to steer clear of it. Not again.

A distinct scent of cooked flesh entered through my nostrils, I gave a quick glance towards the houses to make sure no one was awake, couldn't risk getting jumped. My steps were near silent as I moved towards a temperate campfire hidden behind a couple of trees, albeit poorly. My attention was more focused on the charred corpse dangling above the flames, my key to freedom enclosed tightly around his neck. I checked my surroundings to make sure this was the guy I saw earlier, just to alleviate my irrational suspicions. There was the fence I was on the other side of earlier, I was honestly extremely excited at the thought of finally leaving this deathly forest behind me. I just needed someway to reach the rope, grab it and get back to the pulley system in one piece.

The first step was going to be tricky though. I had no way to pull him down, he was too high up. I couldn't throw my machete at the rope either, it was too thick for something like that, and a good chunk of the rope would still be hanging anyway. None of those were good plans. The only way I could take the entire length of rope was to find where it was attached to, and cut it loose.

I followed where the rope led to with my gaze, tied to a tree bent sideways, up a small height. It looked pretty ominous, much of the same vibe I was getting from this area. I needed to get up there and sever the rope, then I promise these guys will never see me again. I had to find a way up, maybe look for some sort of path. He had to get up there to hang himself, so I knew the ridge was accessible.

I was about to raise up my camera when the sharp crack of a branch interrupted my thoughts, I shot a look behind and barely held onto my camera as I searched swiftly for the source. There was no hostile presence in the direction of the sound, but I was certain I heard something. I didn't want to dismiss any potential indicator of danger, and have a cultist stab me in the neck the moment I turn my back.

I held still for several seconds, just to make sure my fears were unfounded. There didn't seem to be any further disturbance in the area, so I was free to breathe in a sigh of relief as my muscles relaxed. I need to focus, find a way up there before someone discovers me. I kept the microphones on as I scouted the general area, although they weren't much use because of the sizzling campfire taking up sound.

It actually didn't take too long before I found the means of getting up to the rope, the first thing that caught my attention as I rounded the corner was the lamp post illuminating a pathway going up the hill. It's always a surprise when a task is easier than you expect, especially for someone who is unlucky enough to be trapped in this place.

There was a scalled member licking his many wounds behind a house, too preoccupied with easing his pain to notice me as I crossed his line of sight. I felt bad for him, because I could almost relate to how much pain he was in. I wasn't doing too good either, I was infected with the same syphilis they had countless times over by now, although the symptoms may take a while to develop.

Shit, the battery is almost out. I didn't want to replace it until it was fully depleted, but it was better to play it safe and do it now rather than losing the night vision during a chase. I worked on reloading the camera as I moved up the path, only a sharp turn to the right through shrubbery and rocks before I reached the top.

One battery left. The camera gave a small beep while I turned the NV back on, I was going to need it if I wanted to survive. The ominous tree I saw from below was back in my sights, along with the rope which was actually tied to another tree hidden just behind it, although this one was ripped from its root completely. Changed very little, but I found it rather amusing.

Once I had the rope in my possession, I only needed to make it back to the shed in one piece and I was finally out of this place. I kept reminding myself of the small victory that was waiting for me back there, the only source of motivation I had besides Lynn. I didn't go through this hellish journey just to end up as some sacrifice and have my flesh gnawed off.

The rope looked quite solid, definitely not something my flat machete could sever. It was also tied around the branch in an extremely tight noose, I couldn't even fucking loosen the thing. This didn't add up with the suicide note I read earlier. Why would the rope be this tight if he allowed people to retrieve it after he killed himself? Was he afraid the rope would be too light to support his weight otherwise?

Maybe I shouldn't try to understand how the cogs turn in the mind of a deranged cultist. For all I know he predicted I would find his note and did it to fuck with me. I just needed to get away from here, this constant battle for survival had taken a serious toll on my mental health.

There had to be a way to separate the rope from this damn tree. I could try tearing off the branch itself, maybe then it would come undone. It was already quite severed, this seemed like the best and probably only approach I could take in my current state. Anything shorter than a chainsaw and I was ripping that branch off.

I grimaced as I took hold of the branch with my bandaged hands, braced my foot on the tree, pulling it loose the best I could. A hot streak of pain pulsed in my side, I was briefly reminded that my physical body was deteriorating along with my mental state. I was beaten up too much, I needed to reach Lynn before I gave out.

At least my method seemed to be working, the piece of wood was almost severed from its tree. This helped reduce the throbbing in my hands. I yanked hard as the branch snapped free from its root with higher force than I expected, almost instantly it slipped out of my hands and went careening down the ledge, taking the rope along with it.

It seems I forgot there was a human corpse below pulling on the rope too. Shit.

No matter, I'd just have to go back to the campfire and retrieve the rope. Only a minor inconvenience, as long as someone else doesn't grab it first. I panted a bit, wanting to regain my strength before heading back down. That was nothing, I could rip off branches all night until I collapsed if it meant saving Lynn. The pain would soon subside, and I would forget it in favor of more dire threats.

As I retraced my steps back to the campfire, I ran my mind through many scenarios of where, how, and when I could die, and the results were not looking pleasant to say the least. This was nobody's fault but my own. I chose to go after Lynn, I chose to be here. Everything I did here was my own doing, and I was gonna be the one to suffer the consequences.

I took a subtle notice in the lack of my wound licking friend when I returned back to the village. He was probably holed up in one of these shacks, tending to his wounds. Not that he worried me too much, but every missing person in this place could potentially be right behind me. I had learned this the hard way.

I put away the camera as I rounded the corner, spotting the warm blaze of the campfire hidden amongst various colors of foliage. The scalled corpse had fallen just a short distance from the flames, which was beneficial because I needed to remove the rope from his neck. A scorched rope would just complicate things. I took quick steps towards the scarred body, not trusting the dead silence of this supposedly inhabited village. Flies were buzzing all around his corpse, his stench was exactly how you would imagine an STD infected, starved and decayed cultist to smell like. I wasted no time before taking the rope from his neck and securing it around my waist, quickly stepping away from the atrocious scent he gave off.

"Thanks."

Now with the rope in my possession, the only obstacle left for me here was to get back to the shed in one piece. No one had tried to actively pursue me so far, and Laird still hadn't showed up, so I felt pretty good about my odds. The air was also rich with copper, a nauseating consequence of this place being a mass grave of rotting corpses.

The incessant buzzing of the flies had started to give me a mild headache, reminding me of the low pitched static that played in my head constantly. I left them alone with their meal as I made my leave back to the village, ready to finally put this weird chapter of my life behind me.

I had forgotten how dark the town was after the time I spent around the campfire. I raised up the camera just in time to see something flashing in the visor, I looked up as the bright object struck into the nearby tree at high speed, producing a loud thunk. It took me a moment to register the object as a flaming arrow, and the next moment I spotted the source. Oh no.

"Stop him you festering shits! Don't let him escape, that is our Messiah!"

Fuck! I broke into a wild dash with the sound of him firing another arrow, getting myself behind a house to break their line of sight. It would've been too perfect if I just made it back without trouble, would it? The world would just fucking end!

"Our hope. Our glory!"

I can't stay in one spot for too long, need to keep moving. I could hear their equipment clunking while they gained on my position, I lunged out of cover just as they cut the corner, pushing forward and up an incline. I came upon another house, the windows open. I hardly cared if anybody was inside, I leaped straight through the frame and dragged myself up, forcing down the window until I was certain it jammed.

"You worthless wretched cunts! You've wasted salvation."

Next, I threw myself against the brittle wooden door and locked it tight. It might not stop them, but it'll at least slow them down. I swung around and checked through the night vision, but found no worthwhile space to hide.

"There will be no paradise. No glory. Your weakness has damned us all."

I yelped and stumbled backwards as Nick drove his shoulder into the door, which somehow held its own against the raw muscle trying to break in. I had no other option but to flee. I dashed to the opposite window and vaulted over it, just as the door was knocked off its hinges and Nick plowed through.

"I tried to guide you. But you were all too stupid, too vain."

I kicked my feet forward and charged down the incline as they followed pursuit, gaining three steps with every one of mine. It felt like they were desperate to catch me at this point. I was certain I'd suffer a fate worse than death if I was caught, and even thinking about it caused my throat to dry out, I gagged as I panted.

"You deserve your sores. You deserve the hell you'll get!"

An arrow whizzed over my head as I barely stopped myself short of the outhouse I saw earlier, slamming my shoulder against it to absorb the impact. The cultist that had been defecating here was gone. Didn't have the time to be excited, I shot a look behind to see Nick hounding after me like a fright train. I lunged backwards and took a sharp left from the outhouse, getting behind another shack to hopefully throw them off.

I swung around the corner just as another flaming arrow almost hit the target, noticing the diseased figure puking his guts out from the corner of my eye. I had no idea how much distance I had on them, though I wasn't intent on finding out. I picked up speed towards a hollow tree log barricading the path, and used the momentum to leap over it and resume my sprint undeterred.

Fuck, his footsteps sounded too close. I spun around to see where he was, and found him hoisting up the hollow tree log above his head without even faltering. He turned towards me, and my eyes shot wide as I realized he was aiming it at my squishy body. I dodged sideways just in time to avoid getting pulverized, instead the tree crashed straight through the planks behind me, landing in a pool of urine and splashing it on everything within its radius.

I kicked back up to my feet and charged forward once more, zipping around objects in an effort to put something solid between me and them. Laird was firing arrows like a madman, and Nick swatted aside anything I tried to slow him down with. I recognized some of the houses we raced past, the shed had to be close now. I just needed to survive for a little bit longer, then I could put this all behind me.

The fog somewhat lessened as we continued the pursuit, to my right was a storage shed containing all sorts of building and farming equipment, and the first object that caught my attention was a lone brick laying on the ground, just off the path. Without a thought I snatched it off the dirt and hurled it behind me, causing Nick to stagger when the brick smashed against his arm. I used the opportunity to regain my speed and hopefully evade them, despite how difficult that seemed.

I think I made it. Where was it I came from? Stairs! Wooden stairs, right behind the lamp post. I had plenty of distance on them by the time the ground shifted to floorboards, the shed was right down there. I quickly secured the camera in my pouch to make sure it didn't fall off while I ran, but the big fucker must've caught up sooner than I thought. It was too late before I heard Laird discharge an arrow, a loud yowl expelled from my throat as the flaming projectile tore into my shoulder with an excruciating thwack.

Argh! I lost consciousness for an instant as my brain sputtered out. The flames stunned my nerves and I tumbled forward, my vision blurry as the pain swung back into me at full force. I was barely standing, the shock was too much. I crashed against the railing just short of the stairs, coughing up blood. It tasted like copper and stained my throat.

No, I had to keep moving! They were getting closer. I refused to go down without a fight. I shoved whatever strength I had left into my arms and pushed off the railing, splashing blood as I ripped off the arrow fired into my shoulder. The world spun while I stumbled towards the stairs, a warm feeling took over where the arrow struck into. At least the thing cauterized its own wound.

The door! It was waiting for me just below the stairs. I had to get the fuck out of here. In my frantic daze, I forgot the first step had collapsed and toppled forward instantly, crashing down the remaining steps in a painful heap. This time, I was certain some of my ribs splintered. I grunted as the stairs delivered me just short of the door, the light from inside seeping through the cracks.

I couldn't take it anymore. My body was too broken. My vision distorted as I stared at the night sky, taking a little pause. I knew my time was very limited, but I just needed this, even if it lasted only a few seconds.

Fuck, they're almost here. I was doomed if Laird managed to sink another arrow into me, I knew deep in me that this would be our last encounter, dead or alive. I dragged myself up from the ground, paying no attention to the limits of my body. My legs were scorching as I limped towards the door, slammed my good shoulder against it and twisted the handle until it snapped off.

It's locked from the outside too?! I whirled about checking my pursuers, nearly upon me. I had no other option but to climb in. My legs throbbed as I threw myself up to the window, trying to heave myself over, but my arms had become nearly useless. I couldn't pull myself up no matter how much I struggled. My heart was pumping adrenaline through my veins, it was the only thing keeping me dangling on the ledge.

This can't be it. This can't be the end. I won't accept this! I could hear them racing down the stairs, I tried once again to drag myself up, but fell short when my arms gave out. I was on the verge of tears by the time they reached me, clamping down hard on the ledge as they grabbed my legs and pulled...

Wait. They were lifting me up.

I looked down to see two scalled members actually pushing me up to the window, with no sign of hostility. What was this? A prayer answered? My mind playing tricks on me? Was I already dead?

I shook my head to clear the daze and took advantage of this miracle, putting my weight on the ledge as I pushed one last time. I felt my strength returning, they let go as I shoved myself over the window and yowled as gravity delivered me to the floor. It took a moment to recover the air knocked out of my lungs, but this was no hallucination. I stood my ground against the odds and overcame them.

"How could you let him escape? Out of my way."

I still had to hurry up. With that resolve whirring in my head, I charged for the pulley system while Nick started working on the door. I didn't have time to make a proper noose, so I untied the rope from my waist and threw it over the cylinder, snatching it after it looped and joined the two sides together. It wasn't safe at all, but it was all I had the time for.

I winced as Nick dealt another solid blow into the door, I had to disappear before he broke in. My mind was wracked with questions, my ears buzzed and my bones tingled with that relentless static. I drew in a sharp breath and stepped off the platform, down the floor hatch hopefully never to be seen again.

The door was about to come down. My grip was firm on the rope as I slid down, doing my best to reduce the distance between me and the boardwalk below. With a final slam of his shoulder the pitiful door snapped apart, just as I escaped their line of sight.

Fuck, I didn't think this through! There's nothing stopping him from just pulling up the rope! I tried to drop down in short bursts to speed up my descent, but the ground was growing distant despite my efforts. I felt my chances of survival nosedive as he continued dragging up the rope.

"What? Don't touch me. Get your hands off me!"

Wait, what's happening? He stopped pulling the rope. I jerked my head up to see Laird and Nick grabbed by those two scalled members who helped me. Were they trying to push them off?

"Hey. Hey! Wait, no! NO!"

Nick was trying to fight them off, but he had already lost his footing. One of them had him by the arm, I watched as the giant easily forced him off the platform before falling off himself. My eyes shot wide as I noticed he was still holding onto the rope, he yanked it down so hard I was knocked off as well, losing my grip on the rope instantly.

"NO GODDAMN YOU!"

I was screaming the whole way down. I had a momentary lapse in motor functions as I collided with the boardwalk, grunting against the raw pain in my ribs. The scalled member Nick threw off suffered a similar fate, plowing straight through the planks and vanishing from sight somewhere below.

I twisted my head back up as Laird's screams approached fast, him and Nick were plummeting after us. I only had time to put my hand up before the impact collapsed the entire boardwalk, plunging us down into the darkness, never to be seen again.


End file.
